Newest Variant Does Not Cause More Serious COVID-19

The U.S. CDC recently published Notes from the Field: Epidemiologic Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Recombinant Variant XBB.1.5 — New York City, November 1, 2022–January 4, 2023.

On February 24, 2023, the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report disclosed the SARS-CoV-2 virus variant XBB.1.5 emerged rapidly in NYC during November–December 2022 and earlier than in the rest of the United States.

Preliminary findings from a sample of sequenced isolates in NYC do not suggest more severe disease among patients infected with XBB.1.5 compared with patients infected with BQ.1.

The routine linkage of epidemiologic and sequencing data allows (the CDC) to track emerging variants and ongoing assessment of reinfection, infection after vaccination, and disease severity.