UKHSA issues update on Arcturus Covid variant as five deaths reported among sequenced cases

Five deaths have been recorded among more than 100 sequenced cases of the new Omricon subvariant XBB.1.16, also known as Arcturus, in England, according to the latest data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). The new variant has been linked to a surge in cases in India, where ministers have reintroduced face mask rules in an attempt to quell the spread.

The latest technical briefing on Covid variants states that 105 sequenced cases of XBB.1.16 have been identified in England, with cases located in every region apart from the north east. Among these cases, there were five deaths, the UKHSA said.

Cases included 54 males, 50 females and one whose gender was not recorded, and the average age was 74-years-old. London recorded the most cases with 30, while the north west region recorded the second most with 22.

READ MORE: Full list of companies that have pulled out of the CBI or putting memberships on hold

The new variant is reportedly 1.2 times more infectious than the Omicron variant, according to a study by the University of Tokyo published on the biology research website bioRxiv.

The UKHSA says that the number of sequences is not fully representative of current cases in the population, noting that "sequenced cases are older and likely to be more severe". It said there is currently a mix of several different XBB sublineages in circulation.

As of April 14, the new variant was detected in just 2.3 per cent of UK sequences between April 3 and April 9 this year, the UKHSA said. The briefing also notes that although surveillance of the virus has decreased in recent weeks, with the long-running infection survey no longer publishing regular case estimates, there are signs of a slow decline in Covid-19