WHO monitoring new Covid-19 subvariant ‘Arcturus’, which is driving surge of cases in India

Some states in India have mandated mask wearing after Covid-19 cases surged in the country recently. - Reuters

SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/Asia News Network):The World Health Organization (WHO) is monitoring the new Covid-19 “Arcturus” subvariant, which is fuelling a recent surge of cases in India.

The Omicron subvariant XBB.1.16 strain, first detected in late January, is a recombinant of two descendants of another Omicron variant BA.2.