Update on SARS-CoV-2 variants: ECDC assessment of the XBB.1.5 sub-lineage

XBB.1.5 is a sub-lineage of the SARS-CoV-2 lineage XBB, and is currently estimated to have a large growth advantage over previously circulating lineages in North America (139%) and Europe (137%), although these estimates are associated with significant uncertainty. There is a possibility that this variant could have an increasing effect on the number of COVID-19 cases in the EU/EEA, but not within the coming month as the variant is currently only present in the EU/EEA at very low levels.