[The Epoch Times, January 06, 2023](The Epoch Times reporter Tianrui Sydney, Australia compiled and reported) The highly contagious new strain XBB.1.5 has entered Australia, causing a small number of people to be infected. Experts say there is no need to worry too much about the new strain.
XBB.1.5, a subtype of Omicron that is spreading rapidly in the United States, has been described by the World Health Organization as the most contagious variant strain ever detected, but there is no evidence that the new strain can cause more serious symptoms.
As of January 3, 8 cases of XBB.1.5 infection have been detected in Australia, accounting for less than 1% of the total number of infected cases.
Cases of XBB.1.5 infection have now been reported in at least 25 countries, and the strain has become dominant in the United States, but remains rare in Canada and the United Kingdom.
Hassan Vally, an associate professor of epidemiology at Deakin University, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that at this stage, there is no need to worry too much about XBB.1.5. With a high level of immunity acquired from previous infections and vaccines, a bad case is unlikely. ◇
Editor in charge: Zong Minqing
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