The Seattle Times reported that the CDC has put a new COVID-19 strain called "Arcturus"  second on its watch list.

Arcturus, also known as XBB.1.16, is a subvariant of Omicron that was discovered in India and has been on the World Health Organizations radar since the end of March. According to the most recent CDC report, Arcturus is responsible for 7% of coronavirus illnesses in the United States, trailing its long-dominant Omicron relative XBB.1.5, which is responsible for 78% of cases.

Experts claim Arcturus is more transmissible but not more hazardous than recent chart-topping strains. Arcturus has been linked to a new symptom in youngsters, according to Indian medical practitioners. According to experts, one unique aspect of the latest instances caused by this variety is that it appears to be producing conjunctivitis, or red and irritated eyes, in young children, which has not been seen with previous strains of the virus.

According to CDC data, more than 11,000 people in the United States were hospitalized with COVID by the end of last week, and 1,327 people died from the illness. According to the WHO, 6.9 million individuals have died from COVID worldwide so far with 1.1 million deaths in the United States.

Experts also indicated that the present strain is creating an increase in case numbers in several places of the world, including India. XBB.1.16 is not currently prevalent in the United States, although it may grow more prevalent in the next weeks.

(Source: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/990828?src=)