High Mortality COVID Variant Emerges? ... Outdated Fake News Again

"As Respiratory Infections Spread, Old Rumors Resurface"

Recently, fake news claiming that "a new COVID-19 variant 'XBB' is emerging" has been spreading on social networking services (SNS), prompting health authorities to clarify that "this is a resurgence of a rumor that circulated in 2022."

It has been identified that COVID-19-related fake news is spreading mainly among the elderly through platforms like KakaoTalk. The message stated, "You need to wear masks again. A friend working at a hospital health center sent this news this morning," and added, "The new COVID variant, Omicron XBB, is different from previous ones, is deadly, and is difficult to detect properly, so everyone is advised to wear masks." It also included a warning that "XBB is five times more toxic than the Delta variant, has a higher mortality rate, and sometimes shows no clear symptoms."

Fake news related to COVID-19. Provided by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency

However, this is a false rumor that had already spread around November 2022, shortly after the XBB variant, a type of Omicron variant, was introduced in South Korea. When the controversy grew at that time, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) stated in August of the following year that "according to the World Health Organization (WHO) risk assessment, there is no evidence that the XBB variant is more dangerous than other variants." They further emphasized, "Although the rapid increase in prevalence may lead to a global rise in cases, there is no evidence that it increases severity among reported cases."

The COVID-19 viruses currently circulating in South Korea are KP.3 (approximately 35% prevalence) and JN.1 (about 30%), while the Delta variant mentioned in the message was prevalent during 2021?2022, and the XBB variant circulated during 2023?2024. The KDCA explained, "Due to the recent outbreaks of respiratory infections such as influenza, anxiety has led to the resurgence of past rumors," and clarified, "this news is not true."

According to the KDCA’s sample surveillance results, although the number of COVID-19 cases in South Korea has been gradually rebounding from a declining trend, the increase is not rapid compared to previous years.

However, the KDCA urged people to complete their vaccinations before the Lunar New Year holiday, as the number of influenza (flu) patients and COVID-19 hospitalizations has been rising recently. Since the Lunar New Year holiday involves increased travel and gatherings, which can accelerate the spread of influenza and COVID-19, it is advisable to get vaccinated in advance.

Currently, the KDCA is administering influenza vaccinations to those aged 65 and older, pregnant women, and children aged 6 months to 13 years. COVID-19 vaccinations are also being provided to high-risk groups, including those aged 65 and older, residents and inpatients of infection-vulnerable facilities aged 6 months and older, and immunocompromised individuals. The KDCA explained that the influenza vaccine is very similar to the currently circulating influenza virus, so sufficient preventive effects can be expected from vaccination.