The “hound of hell” variant affects one in three positive cases in Argentina

Then a slight decrease in cases of coronavirusThe Ministry of Health of the Nation established 72,558 new infections in Argentina during the last week, which meant an increase of 17% compared to the previous seven days where 61,903 cases were registered. Added to this, 47 deaths are reported, three more than a week ago. In addition, a third of the positives correspond to the BQ.1.1 subvariant of Ómicron, known as “hound of hell”.

The information was made public through the latest National Epidemiological Bulletin (number 633), published by the National Ministry of Health and corresponding to the week of December 18-24. The report specifies that Currently, the Omicron variant circulates “exclusively” in the country.

In Argentina, the most contagious subvariants of Ómicron began to circulate

According to the report, in the period between epidemiological week 45 and 48 (November 6 to December 3), “it begins to detect a greater number of positive samples for Omicron BQ.1.1with some identified cases of Ómicron XBB.1, BA.2, BA.4 and BA.5″.

Already for epidemiological week 48 (November 27 to December 3), the “hound of hell” subvariant corresponds to a third of the infections. “In SE48 it is observed that BQ.1.1 is detected in 10/29 samples analyzed”, details the bulletin. Regarding the other lineages, he maintains that “XBB.1 was detected on 2/29 and Omicron compatible with BA.4/BA.5 on 17/29. For SE49, 30 cases of Omicron compatible with BA.4/BA.5”.

Added to this, the report warns that “the Omicron cases compatible with BA.4/BA.5 detected by molecular technique could correspond to BQ.1 or other descendant lineages of BA.4 or BA.5”, for which the data of these subvariants could be even higher.

Nevertheless, the numbers provided by the report only correspond to those people who are tested by the State, that is, adults over 50 years of age and patients with comorbidities. Only in these cases is a PCR test carried out, which allows evaluating the requirements are the subvariants present in Argentina.

Contagions and deaths from COVID-19 in Argentina grow again

In the last two weeks, the cases that were detected through home testing represent between 20 and 30% of the total registered, but in these analyzes it is not possible to determine which lineage infected the individual.

The Proyecto País initiative of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, requested in its latest report (updated to December 13) that “the BQ.1 lineage and its derivatives present derivatives associated with immune evasion“. In that sense, recommend”reinforce care measures and the application of vaccination boosters“.

MB PC