Two new coronavirus strains identified in Brazil

São Paulo’s ABC Medical School reported Monday (Nov. 28) that university researchers have confirmed lineages BQ 1.1.17 and BQ 1.18 of subvariant BQ.1 of the coronavirus in Brazil. The patients are reported to live in Santo André and São Caetano do Sul, in Greater São Paulo.

Since September 2021, the university center has assisted agencies monitoring COVID-19. The cases caused by strains not yet detected in Brazil were identified in a batch of nine samples. Most were people infected with the BA.5 variant, and three showed the BQ.1 subvariant.

Those infected with the new strains had mild COVID-19 symptoms. The new strains are not reported to be more transmissible or to have more severe effects than those currently prevalent.