Does the "Arcturus" COVID variant cause pink eye? What to know about the new strain
CBSN
Health authorities say they are now tracking a handful of new SARS-CoV-2 variants climbing in prevalence around the country, including the XBB.1.16 sublineage. That strain has been dubbed by some scientists on social media as "Arcturus," to the frustration of some health officials.
Scientists say XBB.1.16 is relatively similar to previous strains that have recently been dominant in the United States, including the XBB.1.5 variant that drove the last wave of infections this past fall and winter, and does not seem to be leading to worse or different symptoms compared to other variants.
"We have not observed a dramatic shift in spike since that Delta to Omicron shift," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Dr. Natalie Thornburg said at an April 27 vaccines meeting hosted by the FDA.
