New strain of COVID-19 ‘Centaurus’ detected in Netherlands

A new strain of Covid-19 named Centaurus has been found in the Netherlands, the latest country to find the new subvariant of Omicron, which was assumed to be one of the most contagious yet.

A new strain of Covid-19 named Centaurus has been found in the Netherlands, the latest country to find the new subvariant of Omicron, which was assumed to be one of the most contagious yet.

The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment reported the BA.2.75 strain of coronavirus Sars-CoV-2 on Wednesday, July 13.

Advertisement

It was recorded in a sample taken from an individual in the region of Noordoost-Gelderland on Sunday, June 26.

The subvariant of the Omicron BA.2 lineage has also been found in other nations like Australia, India, Japan, the US, Canada, Germany and the UK.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has recorded BA.2.75 as a variant which is under observation. Still, there is no such evidence to suggest it has more potential to cause severe disease.

Researchers in the Netherlands stated that the variant is assumed to be more contagious than the last forms of the virus, as it persists in mutating to evade immunity that has been developed in people since COVID-19 first broke out in 2020.

So far, Omicron has had a total of five sub-variants that are being observed closely.

Many nations have recorded a recent rise in subvariants BA.4 and BA.5, with the latter evolving as the most dominant, as per pathogen surveillance.

Advertisement

With every new wave of COVID-19 variants, populations mainly have built more robust protection through recent infection, widespread vaccinations or both of them.

During its recent COVID-19 emergency committee briefing on Tuesday, July 12, the WHO stated that the reported cases raised by 30% over the last two weeks.

They were caused mainly due to Omicron BA.4, BA.5 and other descendant families and the lifting of public health and social criteria.

Restaurants reopened in April this year in the Netherlands after several months of closure because of Covid restrictions. Dutch health officials have now again detected the Centaurus variant in the country’s centre.

Tariq Saeed

Read More

Dazzling Dubai Delights: The Art and Science Behind Month-Long Fireworks Extravaganza

The dazzling nightly shows unfold at four iconic locations, namely Dubai Festival City, Hatta, and Al Seef, and culminating with the grand finale at Bluewaters and The Beach, JBR, from January 5 to 14

UAE Residents Warned of Sophisticated Vishing Scam Targeting UAE Pass Users

These scams aim to deceive unsuspecting victims into revealing sensitive personal information under the guise of verifying their UAE Pass accounts. The modus operandi of these scammers involves cold-calling individuals armed with detailed personal information such as Emirates ID numbers and expiry dates

Dubai Breaks Records with 500 Trees Planted Daily in 2023

The trees found their roots in 210 strategic sites, ranging from agricultural projects and nature reserves to the bustling streets of Deira and Bur Dubai and the serene landscapes of the Municipality’s parks

Recent

Saudi Arabia: Team rescues a boy from slope of mountain who was stuck for hours

Cairo, Egypt: A boy who was stuck for 3 hours in a rugged mountain has now been rescued by the Saudi Arabian authorities on...

St Kitts and Nevis: PM Terrance Drew addresses 73rd OECS meeting, assumes Chairmanship

Prime Minister of the Federation of St Kitts and Nevis – Dr Terrance Drew, delivered his remarks during the flag-raising and opening ceremony of the 73rd meeting of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) on Sunday, June 18, 2023, (yesterday). 

Fire Erupts at Dubai Marina’s Dream Tower A, Quickly Brought Under Control

Witnesses and residents in the area shared footage on social media, showing thick smoke rising from the 29-storey tower. The fire, which started around 12:15 p.m., was visible from nearby buildings, causing onlookers to gather on balconies to observe the response
admin