New Omicron subvariant XBB.1.16 continues to spread rapidly in U.S.

LOS ANGELES, May 5 (Xinhua) -- New Omicron subvariant XBB.1.16 continues to spread rapidly in the United States, with its prevalence increasing to 12.5 percent this week, according to data updated Friday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The subvariant, referred to as "arcturus," has become the second dominant strain in the country. It is estimated to account for about 12.5 percent of new COVID-19 cases this week, up from 8.4 percent last week, according to CDC data.

Experts warned that the percentage is expected to increase in the coming weeks, with XBB.1.16 possibly becoming the next dominant coronavirus strain in the country.

The highly transmissible Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 remains the dominant strain in the United States, and accounted for about 66.9 percent of new COVID-19 cases this week, CDC data showed.