Fiji has detected the XBB.1.5 variant of Covid-19 also known as Kraken. It comes just a day after New Zealand revealed the variant had also been detected in the country late last week.
The two islands have daily flights into the Country and for Samoa, the Director General of Health Aiono Dr Alec Ekeroma said the 3rd wave of COVID infection in NZ before the Christmas period “did not seem to affect the Country.”
“We have had low incidence with no increase in the number of sick patients despite the increase in the number of flights.”
Aiono said he will consult with the Ministry of Health team and their counterpart in New Zealand and will send follow comments to Radio Polynesia later.
The World Health Organization said Kraken has been detected in at least 31 other countries.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)says the XBB.1.5 omicron variant, or Kraken, is spreading quickly.
The revised projection for the number of cases caused by Kraken for the week ending Dec. 31, 2022, was 18 per cent of U.S. coronavirus cases, followed by an increase to 28 per cent for the week ending 6 January 2023.
