New Covid-19 XFG strain spreads rapidly, infecting 23 in Thailand; South-East Asia on alert
BANGKOK (The Nation Thailand/ANN): The new Covid-19 strain XFG is spreading rapidly, with 23 confirmed cases in Thailand, the Department of Medical Sciences reported late on Saturday.
Yongyos Thammawut, the department's director-general, made the announcement following the World Health Organisation's designation of the XFG variant as a 'variant under monitoring' on June 25, due to its high transmissibility and increased ability to evade immunity.
According to media reports, the recent development has also put the neighbouring countries in South-East Asia on alert.
However, Yongyos noted that there is currently no evidence indicating that XFG causes more severe symptoms than other variants. XFG is a sub-lineage of Omicron, resulting from a recombination of strains LF.7 and LP.8.1.2. It was first detected on January 27.
'The variant has additional mutations on the spike protein, which may enhance its transmissibility and immune evasion,' he explained.
Yongyos added that the global prevalence of XFG is steadily increasing, although the NB.1.8.1 strain remains the dominant variant worldwide despite a declining trend.
In Thailand, the XFG strain was first detected in April. As of now, 23 cases have been reported. - The Nation Thailand/ANN
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The Star
21 hours ago
- The Star
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He explained that police authorities had ordered the Police General Hospital to report on the nature of Thaksin's treatment and the costs incurred for his care. Thaksin was transferred from the Bangkok Remand Prison to Police General Hospital on August 23, 2023, but the first payment was recorded on September 4, 2023, which included a charge for nutritional support via IV at 150 Baht. Other charges included diagnostic fees, nursing services, and room costs, totalling approximately 140,000 Baht, but there were no charges for medication, despite claims of a critical illness. Chanchai emphasised that these receipts were not medical records and could be disclosed publicly. Upon examining the receipts, he pointed out that there were no charges for medications and that a February 19, 2024, receipt included costs for prosthetics and treatment equipment, totalling 11,461 baht, and non-medication medical supplies worth 47,324 baht, in addition to room and food charges of 57,350 baht. 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The Star
a day ago
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US rejects WHO global pandemic response accord
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The Star
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