Rospotrebnadzor said that the first cases of infection with the Arcturus sub-variant of the coronavirus, which is 1.2 times more contagious than Kraken, were detected in Russia. The virus is not highly pathogenic, so the disease it causes progresses in a mild form.
According to the agency, it is not necessary to introduce any anti-epidemic restrictions in connection with the detection of a new sub-variant of coronavirus in the Russian Federation. “Arcturus” was first discovered in January 2023 – distributed mainly in India.
University of Tokyo researchers studying this sub-variant of the coronavirus suggest that the new mutation will interfere with the immune system. According to them, “arctur” may become the dominant option all over the world in the near future. Vaccination against the disease is considered the most effective control measure.
Rospotrebnadzor noted that in general, the number of COVID-19 cases in Russia decreased by 14 percent compared to last week and reached 49.5 thousand cases. So far, genovariates of the Omicron strain continue to dominate. With influenza and SARS, the situation has also improved – now only 643 thousand cases are registered, which is 1.3% less than last week.