In light of the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in India, particularly in Kerala, a post about the virality and mortality of the Omicron XBB variant is gaining widespread attention on social media. This post claims that this variant is five times more virulent and has a higher mortality rate than the Delta variant. Let’s verify the claims made in the post.
Claim: Omicron XBB variant of COVID-19 is five times more virulent and has higher mortality than Delta Variant.
Fact: According to the WHO and other studies, current research suggests that while the Omicron XBB variant of COVID-19 is highly transmissible, there is no evidence to substantiate that it is more severe than the Delta variant. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
According to a statement released by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in October 2022, XBB is a recombined subvariant, a sub-lineage of the Omicron variants BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75, first identified in August 2022. The WHO mentions that while further studies are necessary, current data do not suggest substantial differences in disease severity for XBB infections. However, there is early evidence indicating a higher risk of reinfection compared to other circulating Omicron sublineages.
Other studies also reveal that while early analysis suggests the XBB variant is more transmissible than earlier variants, it appears to cause less severe disease.
Furthermore, when the same post went viral in December 2022, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare labelled it as fake and misleading, urging people to refrain from sharing it.
However, with the recent surge of cases in Kerala infected with JN.1, a Covid variant that descended from BA.2.86 – the Pirola variant from Omicron, the Union health ministry has written to states and Union Territories. They have been asked to monitor cases of influenza-like illnesses, conduct adequate testing, and send all positive samples for whole genome sequencing. More information about the symptoms, precautions, and treatment can be found here.
To sum it up, while the XBB variant of COVID-19 is considered highly transmissible, there is no evidence to prove that it is more severe than the Delta variant.
