The new coronavirus strains BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 accounted for 16.6% of all coronavirus infections in the US this week, nearly doubling from last week, according to US health officials.
Both of these strains are descendants of the Omicron BA.5 mutation, which is currently the most common type of coronavirus in the United States.
Although the number of weekly coronavirus cases has been decreasing in the United States recently, the number of new mutant infections is increasing.
Meanwhile, with the number of mutant coronavirus infections increasing in Europe as well, BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 are expected to become the most common coronavirus mutations within a month.
European authorities said there was still no evidence that BQ.1 was more serious than the existing omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5, but warned that BQ.1 could evade some immune systems.
He also feared that the new mutation could increase the number of coronavirus cases in Europe in the coming weeks or months.
Recently, regulatory authorities in Europe and the United States have approved booster vaccines against the new mutation.
According to the World Health Organization, BQ.1.1 has been found in at least 29 countries.
VOA news
* This article referred to Reuters.
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