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New Zealand

Covid variant worries experts

A Covid variant is creeping into our community. It’s just weeks after the government lifted a series of protective measures.

Some people, like epidemiologist Michael Baker, want some of these measures back.

There are concerns about how the new restrictions will affect newly revived religious practices in New Zealand. Does it mean a return to the strict precautionary measures of the past few years?

The news isn’t great. The Ministry of Health said it saw 16,399 new Covid cases in the community last week. Hundreds are re-infected.

people are hospitalized. Some are in intensive care units.

41 people died last week. Those who died came from all over the country, North, South, East and West. One of his victims was very young, from 10 he was 19.

The 7-day rolling average of community cases increased to 2,343.

Experts are concerned about two new strains, one of which, XBB, has been dubbed “the nightmare.”

Another subvariant, BQ.1.1, has been detected in effluents from several regions since it was identified earlier this month. Two variants of XBB have been documented.

Dr. Dion O’Neale, a Covid-19 modeler, isn’t sure what’s driving the rise.

It could be the removal of protective measures, he suggests.

He thinks a new Covid variant with a modest growth advantage may have helped push the numbers up. he says.

“With children back in school, it’s no surprise to see cases increase among younger people and the moving average across the country track faster,” he said.

Then there are cruise ships. They are back in Napier and Wellington harbors for the first time in two and a half years.

Their liner visiting Napier is known to have Covid-19 cases on board. The ship’s operator and health officials have not disclosed the number.

The former Hawke’s Bay District Health Department of Te Whatu Ora Te Matau a Māui said the ship meets the requirements for passengers to disembark in Napier.

It was “confident in the Covid-19 case. [on the ship] They have been properly quarantined and their contacts are managed in line with current national settings. “

On the other hand, BQ.1.1 was detected in wastewater from West Auckland, Rotorua and Porirua. In the sample he XBB has not yet been detected.

XBB “Nightmare Variant” is a recombinant variant. This means that two different viruses infected one of hers and pieced them together to create her third.

There are concerns that booster vaccines targeting the BA.4 and BA.5 versions of Omicron may quickly overtake.

Manatū Hauora (Ministry of Health) and Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand), together with the ESR, are closely monitoring the development of the subspecies abroad and in New Zealand.

Baker says a return to some kind of alert level system could help us avoid the worst waves of Covid-19 in the future.

“We have already experienced two big waves of Omicron this year.

“Each of these waves has seen large numbers of cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

“When we see another wave rising, it seems very likely…we will see more cases and all that comes with it.”

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https://cathnews.co.nz/2022/10/27/covid-subvariants-concern-experts-churches-silent-so-far/ Covid variant worries experts

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