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The BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 subvariants of Omicron, rather ominously dubbed the “hellhound strains”, will likely be responsible for the vast majority of coronavirus infections in Spain by late November or early December, the Minister of Health, Carolina Darias, predicted this week.

 

While these variants currently only account for 2.7% of cases in Spain, their presence is “growing at a rapid rate in several European countries,” and it’s only a matter of time before the BA.4 and BA.5 strains are overtaken by their more virulent cousin.

 

According to a report from the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) published on October 20, these lineages will easily exceed 50% of infections in the coming weeks, as they are proving particularly resistant to the existing vaccines. But although the new strains spread rapidly, at the moment there is no evidence to suggest that they result in more serious illnesses or will increase hospital pressure in Spain.

 

The minister warned that, despite the “favourable data” of recent months, autumn and winter in Spain are typically “characterised by the greatest circulation of viruses and respiratory infections.”

 

“Which is why we can’t let our guard down,” she added.

 

While Europe began relaxing its coronavirus safety measures and Spain fully opened up its borders to all travellers, even at the beginning of October Basel University researcher Cornelius Roemer was warning of a major resurgence in infections. The prevalence, particularly of the BQ.1.1 strain, “will drive a wave of variants in Europe and North America before the end of November,” he forecast, especially since its presence has been more than doubling week on week.

 

 

With these gloomy predictions, the new Omicron sublineages have been nicknamed the ‘hellhound variants’ on social media, after the many-headed dog of Hades who was said to guard the gates of the Underworld in Greek mythology to prevent the dead from leaving.

 

 

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