New COVID variant drives increase in Pa. and N.J. infections
The Philadelphia Inquirer (Jan 5th, 2022) – COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania and New Jersey increased after the winter holidays as the latest variant of the virus becomes more prevalent in the region, data show.
A new omicron subvariant, XBB.1.5, appears to be more transmissible than earlier forms of COVID and as of the end of December accounted for more than 32% of the cases in the region that includes Pennsylvania. It is far more common in New York and New Jersey, where it accounts for 72% of cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.