Throughout the years, we've learned a fundamental truth about viruses: they're always evolving. With the persistent threat of COVID-19, it's become clear that as the virus encounters new populations and environments, it morphs into various strains. We've seen this evolution from the original alpha variant to the now globally prevalent Omicron, and all the way to the most recent iteration: the "Kraken" variant.

We firmly believe that a robust understanding of these variants and an effective testing strategy can help us steer our way through this complex landscape. To this end, we delve into a detailed overview of the most recent COVID-19 variants and how our test—the GB COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test—stands up to them.


Variants of Concern: An In-depth Understanding

Variants of Concern (VOC), as designated by the World Health Organization (WHO), display characteristics such as increased transmissibility, higher severity of disease, significant reduction in neutralization by antibodies, reduced effectiveness of treatments or vaccines, or potential diagnostic detection failures. These VOCs demand increased surveillance and possibly new public health actions. In this section, we explore the latest VOCs and the challenges they pose.

Delta and Mu Variants
The Delta variant, first identified in India in late 2020, led to a global surge in COVID-19 cases due to its higher transmissibility compared to earlier variants. The Delta variant has mutations in the spike protein that not only enable it to infect human cells more efficiently but also may allow it to partially evade immune responses. The variant quickly became the globally dominant strain by mid-2021.

The Mu variant, on the other hand, was first identified in Colombia and later declared as a Variant of Interest by the WHO in the summer of 2021. It was of particular concern due to the number of spike protein mutations that could potentially allow it to evade immune defenses. However, the Mu variant did not spread as rapidly as Delta or Omicron and has largely receded since reaching its peak.

The Omicron Variant
The Omicron variant, first detected in November 2021, has become notable for its numerous mutations. It has over 50 mutations, which is a significant increase compared to other variants. The bulk of these mutations — approximately 30 — occur in the spike protein, the part of the virus that enables it to enter human cells. This unusual number of mutations raised concerns about potential immune evasion and increased transmissibility.

Multiple sub-lineages of the Omicron variant, such as BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, and others, have emerged. Initial studies indicate that the Omicron variant has a higher transmissibility rate and can potentially evade immunity from prior infection or vaccination. It's also noteworthy that, while causing a surge in infections, Omicron has been associated with milder disease outcomes in many cases compared to some previous variants.

The Arcturus Variant (XBB.1.16)
Arcturus, first identified in January 2023, is a sub-variant of Omicron. It inherited many of Omicron's mutations, which contributes to its ability to spread rapidly. However, initial studies suggest that the Arcturus variant generally causes milder illness compared to earlier variants.

The Arcturus variant currently dominates in certain regions like India, pointing to its strong transmission capabilities. Though much is still to be learned about this variant, researchers are monitoring it closely to understand its full implications.

The "Kraken" Variant (XBB.1.5)
The "Kraken" variant, also known as XBB.1.5, emerged as a sub-variant of Omicron. The Kraken variant is characterized by its ability to spread rapidly due to a significant number of mutations on the spike protein, similar to its parent variant. Despite causing significant global concern, early research did not find it to cause more severe disease than other variants. Its evolution and spread continue to be closely monitored by the global scientific community.

Our GB COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test remained effective in detecting the Kraken variant. While the variant's spike protein was heavily mutated, our test's focus on the N-protein, which was not significantly affected by the variant's mutations, allowed it to detect this variant.