Leszek Szymański/PAP

Two cases of a new omicron sub-variant that has appeared in Western Europe have been found in Poland, Waldemar Kraska, the deputy health minister said on Thursday.

In an interview for PAP.pl Kraska said that “from the data we receive from our colleagues in the West, we can say that a new sub-variant of omicron BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 has emerged, these are new sub-variants of the omicron BA.5 variant.”

“We have identified two cases so far and we are monitoring the situation. It seems that it will supersede the B.A.5 variant, which is the current variant, but it appears to be spreading slower than in previous waves.”

The deputy minister added that for the time being “it is difficult to say how it will continue to develop.”

When asked whether coronavirus infections were on the decline in Poland, he said that “at the moment the situation in the country is stable”.

“We have fewer and fewer infections. Today’s data is less than a thousand new infections. Week to week we see a decline of more than 30 percent. The number of patients in hospitals is also declining. The R-factor is also below one, so the data we receive look optimistic.”

He pointed out that Western European is seeing an increase in the number of new infections.