11 January 2023

Omicron XBB.1.5 Variant Rapid risk assessment

WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution (TAG-VE) met on 5 January 2023 to discuss the latest evidence on the Omicron XBB.1.5 variant and assess the public health risk associated with this variant.

 The Omicron XBB.1.5 variant is a sublineage of XBB, which is a recombinant of two BA.2 sublineages. From 22 October 2022 to 11 January 2023, 5 288 sequences of the Omicron XBB.1.5 variant have been reported from 38 countries.

Most of these sequences are from the United States of America (82.2%), the United Kingdom (8.1%), and Denmark (2.2%).

Based on its genetic characteristics and early growth rate estimates, XBB.1.5 may contribute to increases in case incidence. To date, the overall confidence in the assessment is low as growth advantage estimates are only from one country, the United States of America.

Full text of the rapid risk assessment for XBB.1.5 is now available at this link:

https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/11jan2023_xbb15_rapid_risk_assessment.pdf

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