When the most prevalent mutant strain in the United States, it was detected in China

Recently, according to the latest testing data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), XBB.1.5 has become the most prevalent mutant strain in the United States, accounting for 40.5%.

The scary thing is that XBB mutant strains have crept into China after becoming the main mutant in countries such as the United States, India, and Singapore: a total of 16 local XBB cases were reported from October to December 2022.

At present, in the concern that the next wave of the epidemic may cause severe diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms, montmorillonite is out of stock, and many pharmacies are sold out and out of stock.

XBB is coming, what should I do if I can't buy montmorillonite?

What is XBB?

XBB is a variant of the recombination (fusion) of two different Omicron BA.2 subvariants; XBB.1.5, unlike other members of its family, has an additional mutation that may help it bind better to cells.

Moreover, it can grow rapidly in the body, producing more serious diseases by becoming more contagious.

In October 2022, WHO experts noted that the XBB subvariant had a global prevalence of 1.3% at the time and had been detected in 35 countries, while by the end of December, the number of cases in the United States had more than doubled in a week. It now accounts for about 40% of all Covid infections in the United States, and hospitalizations in New York are on the rise.

What is the reason for the rapid spread of XBB1.5?

An important mechanism is that the variant has an unusual mutation known as F486P. The mutation allows the virus to evade antibodies and does not affect how well it attaches to human cells. In fact, it binds even stronger to cells than maternal XBB, which enhances the infectivity of XBB1.5.

In just a few weeks, XBB.1.5 has become the dominant variant in the United States, with up to 70% in eastern U.S. hotspots. Early data suggests that one in every 25 cases in the UK is this new variant.

WHO indicates that XBB.1.5 New York is a bellwether for the occurrence of XBB.1.5, and in recent weeks with the prevalence of this variant, hospitalizations have increased significantly, especially in the elderly.

Of course, other factors may also play a role, such as reduced immunity, indoors/holiday gatherings, cold weather, lack of mitigation. But it's worth noting that New York's Covid admissions rate is the highest since late January (also surpassing the Delta wave of summer 2021, but the classification of admissions then and now is somewhat vague).

Although it is uncertain how much of the current rise in hospitalizations is driven by XBB.1.5, the picture is not encouraging.

Montmorillonite is listed in China

Due to the high contagiousness of the XBB1.5 virus strain and the trend of epidemics abroad, this inevitably makes people worry that XBB.1.5 will cause further waves of diseases in China.

China CDC also said that in October ~ December last year, 199 imported XBB cases have been found in China, including 9 branches, of which 4 cases are XBB1.5.

In terms of disease symptoms, China CDC said that because the virus mainly binds to the ACE protein on the cell surface, although the protein is distributed in the lungs and intestines, whether gastrointestinal symptoms appear is related to individual differences, and there is no evidence that this strain is more likely to cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as severe diarrhea than other strains.

However, judging from the recent public reaction, ordinary people are generally worried about severe gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhoea caused by the arrival of a new wave of the epidemic.

Just as there was a demand for ibuprofen a month ago, montmorillonite for antidiarrheal became a popular drug for a while. But before that, montmorillonite bulk sales were not large, and even once experienced a large decline.

At present, out of concern that the next wave of the epidemic may cause severe diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms, montmorillonite is out of stock, and many pharmacies are sold out and out of stock.

Just as the previous epidemic prevention policy suddenly changed, ibuprofen and other drugs were difficult to find, and residents stockpiled a large number of drugs in the short term, resulting in a sudden imbalance between demand and supply.

Montmorillonite took over the banner of ibuprofen and became the first choice for the hoarding tide. The concept of montmorillonite has attracted attention, and Fangsheng Pharmaceutical, Kangzhi Pharmaceutical, etc. have generally risen in recent days.

According to pharmacointelligence data, there are currently 42 kinds of montmorillonite scatter-related products in China, and 108 products are in the registration/acceptance stage.

Tips

In view of the fact that there is currently no evidence that XBB.1.5 is more likely to cause intestinal symptoms than other strains, the use of montmorillonite should be cautious, especially in children, and if necessary, under the guidance of a professional doctor.