Aussies warned of “nightmare variant”
<p dir="ltr">NSW’s chief health officer Kerry Chant has warned that Australia is on the brink of another Covid wave.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The health official said that sub-variants BQ. 1 and XBB are well on the way of becoming the dominant strain over BA.5 in Australia</p>
<p dir="ltr">Dr Chant said the XBB strain, which recently emerged in Singapore, is ripping through the nation at an alarming rate. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Some international experts have described the XBB strain as the “nightmare variant” and the “most vaccine-resistant yet”. </p>
<p dir="ltr">“We're starting to see an increase in Covid-19 cases and changes in the variants circulating in NSW, which tells us that we're entering the next Covid wave,” Dr Chant said in a video.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“By looking at all the local information we have, and what's happening overseas, we believe Covid cases will rise in the coming weeks.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">She asked Aussies to keep up to date with their vaccinations to ensure the protection of the vulnerable.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“The protection the NSW community has from vaccination and previous infection continues to reduce the risk of severe illness,” she continued.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“However the elderly and those with underlying health conditions continue to be at risk.”</p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>Image: ABC</em></p>
