New COVID Variant XBB.1.5 Spreading Rapidly

The Centers for Disease Control is warning about a new COVID-19 variant.  It’s already becoming the dominant strain.

The CDC says XBB dot 1 dot 5  has spread so quickly in the last four weeks:  it’s gone from 4% of covid cases, to 41%.   CBS contributor Dr. David Agus confirms, that like other variants, this one is more contagious than previous versions of Omicron.

The Oregon Health Authority doesn’t break down case counts to show this particular variant, but their numbers show, that test positivity has increased by 8% in the past two weeks in Oregon.  And sadly,  COVID-19 related deaths have increased with about 9 people dying from COVID each day now in the state.

Despite all the worries about the COVID-19 outbreak in China, XBB.1.5  appears to have started in the northeastern United States.  In October, scientists confirmed the first cases in New York and Connecticut. 

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