The new subvariant of the XBB.1.5 coronavirus may spread widely in Europe and Germany in the coming weeks, a German expert believes, DPA reported on Saturday.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the XBB.1.5 strain is responsible for nearly half of all new infections in the US.

“We can predict with some confidence that this option will become the dominant option in our country as well,” said German epidemiologist Hayo Seeb of the Leibniz Institute for Research in Prevention and Epidemiology in Bremen.

“XBB.1.5 is experiencing the return of weak immunity in people who were vaccinated or infected some time ago,” Zieb said.

“First in the USA, then here in Germany,” said the expert.

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However, he added, the number of reported cases of XBB.1.5 in Germany is currently very low.

“There is no need to think about new measures yet.”

The XBB.1.5 subvariant, discovered in October, spread rapidly in the northeastern United States and dominated infections since mid-December, said Richard Neger, director of the Virus and Bacteria Evolution Research Group at the University of Basel.

Outside of the Northeast region of the United States, this option is less common, but is starting to become more common, he said.

There is not enough information regarding the severity of the forms caused by infection with this variant, Neger said.

Cases and hospitalizations have increased in the U.S., and not just in regions where XBB.1.5 dominates, Neger said.

This may mean that the severity of the new strain is not significantly different from other circulating variants, he added.

German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach expressed concern about this option on Thursday.

“Let’s hope we get out of winter before this option spreads here,” Lauterbach wrote on Twitter (Source: Agerpres).

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