Armenia detects new strain of Omicron nicknamed "kraken"

A case of a new sub-variant of the XBB.1.5 Omicron coronavirus strain, dubbed "kraken," has been registered in Armenia.

This was reported to Sputnik Armenia by the Ministry of Health in response to an inquiry.

Earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO) called "Kraken" the most infectious variant of COVID out of all existing ones.

It is noted that XBB.1.5 was detected as a result of examining patient samples with positive PCR sequencing tests.

The agency stated that as of March 27, 448,782 cases of coronavirus infection had been registered in Armenia. Currently 660 citizens (0.1 per cent) are being treated, 437,514 (97.5 per cent) have recovered and 8,746 have died.