Ukraine reports first case of contagious Kraken COVID-19 subvariants

The first case of infection with a new strain of the Kraken coronavirus (XBB.1.5) has been recorded in Ukraine.

The infection was detected in a resident of Sumy region, RBC-Ukraine reports with reference to the message of the Heallth Ministry.

"The case was recorded in the Sumy region in a man who had not been vaccinated against coronavirus," the report said.

According to the World Health Organization, Kraken has no specific mutations that could make it more dangerous than other subvariants. However, compared to previous strains, the new COVID-19 strain evades the human immune response most effectively and is capable of causing serious illness in the elderly and immunocompromised.