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Arcturus, officially known as XBB.1.16, accounts for 14.6 percent of cases in the US, according to the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) variant tracker.
After first being detected in New York in January, cases of XBB.1.16 have now been reported in 33 countries, according to the WHO, as well as 31 states in America.
The highest number of Arcturus cases in the US have been reported in New York, New Jersey, and California.
The most commonly reported symptoms associated with XBB.1.16 are:
- High fever,
- Cough,
- “Itchy” conjunctivitis or pinkeye.
The "itchy, red eyes" are symptoms not seen in earlier waves, according to a report on Arcturus by the Mayo Clinic.
Arcturus has been sparking a surge of cases in India, prompting Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s technical lead for COVID-19, to say of the new variant, "This is one to watch," at a recent news briefing.
"It has one additional mutation in the spike protein, which, in lab studies, shows increased infectivity as well as potential increased pathogenicity.
“One of the big uncertainties we face going forward is the virus itself," Van Kerkhove added. "It hasn’t settled into a predictable pattern. It continues to evolve.”
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