First infection with Kraken variant of Covid-19 detected in Romania

The first case of the Covid Omicron mutation known as "Kraken" was detected in Romania. The disease was confirmed in a baby and it is a mild form.

The new variant has the official name of XBB.1.5 and it is the result of a combination of two fragment variants. Named "Kraken," the strain spreads faster than any of the Omicron variants known so far. Cases have been recorded in 29 countries, 13 of which are in Europe, according to Digi24.

The Covid subvariant named after the legendary aquatic monster is thought to have appeared in the US around November-December 2022. Kraken is behind a strong increase in cases in the United States, where it is estimated to be responsible for 41% of the current Covid-19 cases, according to data released by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The new mutation has been found in Europe, Australia, and parts of Southeast Asia. Kraken has also been found in the United Kingdom. Sheena Cruickshank, a researcher at the Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases at the University of Manchester, says that the mutation "is responsible for about 4% of active cases at the moment in the UK, but we see that the number is rising quite quickly."

A 74-year-old woman, diagnosed with Flurona - a co-infection of flu and Covid-19, also recently died at the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Iasi. Hospital manager Dr. Florin Rosu said that the woman also suffered from other serious illnesses, according to HotNews. It is the first death caused by Flurona announced by a hospital in Romania.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos | Octav Ganea)