What is the "Cerberus" strain? Is a new strain coming?

[This issue's rumor]: Recently, there have been reports online that the new coronavirus variant BQ.1.1, codenamed "Hellhound," has been "killing people like crazy" in Japan. According to rumors, this strain is highly contagious and has a high mortality rate, so it is called "Hellhound."

【NetEase Health Assessment】：

rumor!

【Rumor Identification Points】:

1. What is the BQ.1.1. “Hellhound” strain?

BQ.1 is the sixth-generation sub-branch of Omicron BA.5, which was produced by the mutation of the virus during the epidemic spread among the population. BQ.1.1 is the first-generation sub-branch of BQ.1. According to information from the World Health Organization, the BQ.1 series of strains are members of the family of more than 300 Omicron variant strains currently prevalent in the world, and nearly 95% of these members are "direct descendants" of Omicron variant BA.5.

"Hellhound" is a nickname for BQ.1.1 on social platforms, not an official name.

In June 2022, the BQ.1 variant was first discovered in Nigerian infections. In September, BQ.1 and its derived sub-branches began to spread in European and American countries, with their proportion increasing month by month. In mid-October, they gradually became prevalent in Asian countries and regions such as Japan and Singapore.

2. Is BQ.1 killing people like crazy in Japan? No evidence to support this

According to Japanese media information, Japan has experienced a new wave of epidemics since entering winter, with the number of new deaths per million people increasing every day. However, there is no evidence that the increase in the number of deaths is directly related to the emergence of the BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 strains.

Genomic analysis conducted in Tokyo from November 8 to 14 showed that the number of people infected with BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 accounted for only 6.6% of the total number of infections, which means that this strain has not yet caused a large-scale outbreak in Japan.

Members of Japan's health ministry's coronavirus expert panel said that although BQ.1 may be more easily transmitted, the risk of infected patients developing severe illness is basically the same as that for patients infected with the BA.5 strain.

Although BQ.1 has attracted global attention, no country has reported an increase in pathogenicity in people infected with BQ.1 and its subbranches, nor has there been any report of an increase in hospitalization rates or mortality rates.

3. How prevalent is BQ.1 in China? It has been detected but has not yet become widespread.

According to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, my country has detected 49 cases of BQ.1 and its subbranches in local cases in nine provinces, but it has not yet become widely prevalent, resulting in a small number of cases. It has also not been observed that the clinical severity of patients infected with BQ.1 is higher than that of other variants.

The strains currently prevalent in my country are still mainly BA.5 sub-branches BA.5.2 and BF.7: BA.5.2 is prevalent in 31 provinces in my country, and BF.7 is prevalent in 24 provinces in my country. The variants prevalent in Beijing are mainly BF.7, and the variants prevalent in Guangzhou are mainly BA.5.2.

NetEase Health reminds everyone not to believe unconfirmed online reports and cause unnecessary panic and anxiety. Adhere to personal protection, maintain healthy and civilized living habits, and actively get vaccinated. I wish everyone peace and health!

Source: China Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangming Online, The Paper