- A new variant of COVID-19 called Arcturus has been discovered in 31 countries.
- Experts say it is highly contagious and can cause severe illness, but it is not considered more dangerous than current strains.
- They say the best way to protect yourself, get vaccinated, wear a mask in crowded areas, and practice physical distancing when needed.
The new Covid variant, Arcturus Australia, has been making headlines.
Labelled Arcturus, the Omicron sub-variant was first detected in India in January and has sparked a rise in infections
Arcturus has also been designated a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organisation and is notable for conjunctivitis-like symptoms, particularly among children.
What does ‘Arcturus’ mean for Australia?
Nationally, there was an 8.2 per cent drop in average daily cases in the week ending April 11.
Despite this, hospitalisations related to COVID-19 are still rising, up 13.3 per cent.
In Victoria alone hospitalisations have jumped 46 per cent.
Professor Bennett said the new variant didn’t seem to be associated with more severe disease.
She said she wouldn’t be surprised if case numbers continued to rise.
Globally major waves of COVID-19 were happening every six months, Professor Bennett said, as new variants emerged and immunity waned.
She recommended mask-wearing, keeping your distance and practising hand hygiene while out and about, to try and avoid getting sick.
People aged 60 and older are also eligible for antivirals and Professor Bennett suggested having a plan in place.
“The faster you get antivirals, the more effective they are at keeping people out of hospital,” she said.