A new strain of COVID-19 has the World Health Organization on watch. XBB.1.16, dubbed “Arcturus,” is a new variant of the Omicron sublineage that is becoming the dominant strain in many parts of the world. It’s currently surging in India, where it is the dominant strain, leaving a wave of mostly mild illnesses in its path. It has also been identified in the United States and at least 31 other countries, prompting WHO to elevate Arcturus to a “variant of interest.” The organization asserts that, despite its quick global spread and tendency to evade immunity, the variant’s overall risk is low since it doesn’t seem to be causing more severe symptoms. WHO now recommends that countries collaborate to share information about Arcturus and conduct tests to see how well their population’s immunity can defend against it.
