At least one COVID-19 case of the XBB COVID-19 variant has been detected in Brunei through Gene Sequencing tests, the Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr. Haji Mohammad Isham bin Haji Jaafar said at a press conference on Monday.
The minister, responding to a query from the media during the press conference held at the Ministry of Health building in Commonwealth Drive, explained the XBB variant is part of the family of Omicron BA.2 , that began spreading in August and is now rampant in several neighbouring countries.
According to a recent news report from the Straits Times that cited Singapore’s Ministry of Health, it said that while XBB is at least as transmissible as the other strains currently circulating in the city-state, including BA.5 and BA.2.75, which account for 21 per cent and 24 per cent of cases in the country, there is no evidence that it causes more severe illness.
More details on Tuesday’s Borneo Bulletin
