New COVID omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 is ‘spreading like wildfire’ in US: Health experts reveal why

The new omicron subvariant, known as XBB.1.5, is spreading like wildfire across the US

As colder weather brings a spike in COVID infections, this new mutation is starting to worry health professionals.

So what are some of the unique features of the breed that is now taking hold in parts of the country?

THE NEW SUBVARIANT OMICRON XBB.1.5: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW NOW

First, this subvariant is immuno-evasive. It’s not as susceptible to natural immunity or vaccines — and it’s highly contagious, health professionals say.

In a phone interview with Fox News Digital, Fox News medical contributor Dr. Marc Siegel explained that there are actually two subvariants: XBB and XBB.1.5.

Fox News medical contributor Dr. Marc Siegel, pictured, said the XBB subvariants that span parts of the nation are “highly contagious,” with yeast proteins acting as “suction cups.” (Fox News)

XBB.1.5 is more contagious, said Dr. Siegel, who is also a professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City.

It’s more contagious because of its ability to grip a host tightly, he explained.

“Yeast proteins are like suction cups,” he said.

“Viruses always want to be more and more transmissible and infect more hosts.”

“So the more that can be captured … the easier it is to be transmitted from cell to cell,” he added.

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Both subvariants of XBB are “highly contagious,” Siegel added, as each omicron variant is “outcompeted by its predecessor.”

Dr. Shad Fani Marvasti, associate professor and director of public health and prevention at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, told Fox News Digital that each new strain is developed with the goal of overshadowing those that came before it.

Dr. Shad Marvasti, associate professor and director of public health and prevention at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, said he hopes the variants of COVID will become “less severe.” (Shad Marvasti, MD, MPH)

“Viruses always want to be more and more transmissible and infect more hosts,” he said.

In some cases, there is a “trade-off” between mutations, in which some may become more transmissible but less virulent in terms of health impact, Marvasti also said.

That’s the hope for omicron and its developing variants, such as the “sticky” XBB, he noted.

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He said he hopes that “we start to see [the variants becoming] less heavy,” he said.

“And that may be both a function of the evolution of the virus … and also the fact that more people have been exposed to the virus either through vaccination boosters or previous infections,” he said.

A nurse administers a pediatric dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to a young girl. Dr. Marc Siegel noted that since fewer hospitalizations are occurring with the current subvariants of COVID, they are actually less severe, although health professionals aren’t sure why that is. (ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)

Dr. Siegel added that so far there is “no evidence” that XBB is more virulent.

“If it’s spreading like wildfire and not killing more people, that means it’s less virulent,” he said. “But we don’t know the reason for that.”

“It’s definitely the majority of cases in the Northeast and we expect it to be for the entire country.”

Currently, XBB.1.5 accounts for almost 41% of confirmed COVID-19 cases nationwide, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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The XBB mutation has picked up speed, rising from just 21% of COVID-19 cases on Christmas Eve, the CDC noted.

During the last week of December 2022, XBB.1.5 accounted for 75.3% of COVID-19 cases in the northeastern states.

Merline Jimenez, left, administers a COVID-19 nasopharyngeal swab to a person at a testing site in the international terminal at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in December. The XBB subvariant is likely to spread throughout the country, said Dr. Shad Marvasti. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Those states include Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont, the CDC said.

Although XBB numbers are currently lower in the western parts of the country, Dr. Marvasti of Arizona pointed out that there is no doubt that the sub-variant will catch on almost everywhere else.

“It’s going to go up in the coming weeks, no matter what level it is at now.”

“It’s definitely the majority of cases in the northeast and we expect that to be the case across the country,” he said.

“In Arizona, my expectation is that it will grow very quickly, especially since we have a lot of winter visitors here this time of year and we will have more people with the Phoenix Open and the Super Bowl,” he. also said. (The Phoenix Open golf tournament runs Feb. 6-12, 2023; the Super Bowl is Feb. 12, 2023.)

People are shown walking past a COVID-19 testing site along a Manhattan street on January 21, 2022 in New York City. Variants of Omincron are known to attack the upper respiratory tract — the nose and sinuses — rather than the lungs, Dr. Marvasti. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

“It will go up in the coming weeks, regardless of what level it is at now,” he added.

Although it’s still too soon to tell how the new strain will affect hospitalization and death rates, neither Siegel nor Marvasti expect a large increase.

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Marvasti noted that hospitalizations have been less of a problem since the introduction of omicron.

Continuing vaccinations is important, however Dr. Siegel said the constantly evolving variants call into question the efficacy of current vaccines on the market.

That’s because omicron variants are known to attack the upper respiratory tract — the nose and sinuses — rather than the lower respiratory tract in the lungs, he said.

“That’s one of the reasons why you see fewer people on ventilators,” he explained.

Fox News medical contributor Dr. Marc Siegel, left; Dr. Shad Marvasti of the University of Arizona College of Medicine, right. In the center appears a microscopic microbe COVID. Both medical professionals encourage people to take appropriate steps to stay healthy, including wearing masks and getting vaccinated when appropriate. (Fox News / Dr. Shad Marvasti)

Both experts stressed that even though symptoms may be less severe, people who are at high risk or are immunocompromised should still take the appropriate steps toward prevention, including wearing masks and getting vaccinated.

“There are many things you can do to help boost your immunity and improve your ability to fight infections, including COVID.”

While keeping up with vaccinations is important, Siegel said, he added that these constantly evolving variants call into question the efficacy of current vaccines on the market.

XBB’s immune-evasive properties are “concerning” health experts the most, he noted.

At a recent news conference, Harvard Medical School assistant professor of medicine Kathryn Stephenson said that while the original COVID vaccines may have lost some of their punch against new variants, they are still holding up well against serious illness and death.

Jordane Domain receives a COVID-19 test from a health care worker on January 13, 2022 in North Miami, Florida. Dr. Siegel noted that more research and better funding is needed for COVID prevention, which could include inhaled vaccines in the future. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

One possible solution could be to incorporate updated boosters from Omicron to further increase protection, she said.

That would require more research and funding for “better” vaccines such as inhaled vaccines, said Dr. Siegel.

“My philosophy towards protection against this virus is the more immunity you have, the better,” he said.

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In an effort to keep everyone healthy, Dr. Marvasti encouraged practicing other ways to boost immunity, including getting enough sleep, managing stress, reducing inflammation, eating healthier, taking probiotics, staying hydrated and exercising.

“People need to understand that there are many things you can do to help boost your immunity and improve your ability to fight infections including COVID,” he said.

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Those who have come down with one of the XBB subvariants can continue to treat it like any other case of the coronavirus.

Siegel also recommended the prescription drug Paxlovid as treatment in some cases, under the direction of a doctor.

Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle writer for Fox News Digital.