In August, the number of COVID-19 cases in Ukraine increased significantly, exceeding 26 thousand, due to the spread of a new subspecies of Omicron, FLiRT. Although it does not cause an increased rate of hospitalizations, the virus is highly transmissible. This was announced by Deputy Minister of Health, Chief State Sanitary Doctor Igor Kuzin during a telethon, a correspondent of UNN reports.
In June, we registered 2,300 Ukrainians who fell ill with COVID-19, in July we already registered 11,500 patients, and in the first half of August we have already seen more than 26,000. The number of patients in hospitals remains small - up to 2.5 thousand. Mostly, about 80% of them are patients over 60 years old who have not been vaccinated at all or in the last 12 months
The increase in the number of patients is associated with a new subspecies of Omicron, FLiRT. According to Kuzin, the course of the disease is similar to other variants of Omicron. People who have completed the full course of vaccination usually tolerate the disease easily, but for those over 60 years of age or with concomitant non-communicable diseases, a severe course is possible.
FLiRT is not characterized by an increased rate of hospitalization or an extremely complicated course, but at the same time it is much more rapidly transmitted and therefore has a wave-like incidence
Recall
A new wave of COVID-19 cases has been recorded in Sumy region. In addition, a new strain of coronavirus, FLiRT, was detected in the region .