Recent data published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that a COVID-19 variant that has been circulating since last year is currently the dominant variant in the United States.
The LP.8.1 COVID-19 variant, an offshoot of the Omicron strain, was first detected in June 2024, health officials have said. CDC data show that it makes up 73 percent of all cases detected in the country as of May 24, according to an update issued on June 1. The XFC variant is No. 2 at 10 percent, and the XEC variant is third at 4 percent.
LP.8.1 is currently the dominant version worldwide, according to a recent update from the World Health Organization (WHO). However, another variant, NB.1.8.1, has now become the dominant strain in mainland China and is spreading….