(Wired) – The latest dominant Covid variants have stronger infectiousness than their predecessors and the ability to evade vaccine-induced antibodies.

The northern hemisphere is entering yet another Covid wave—while much of the world acts as if the pandemic were over, cases are surging again. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recorded an uptick in positive Covid tests, emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths in recent weeks, while cases and hospital admissions in the UK are creeping up too.

But it’s in Japan where the surge is particularly visible. The country’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases has reported that the average number of infected people per medical institution has been increasing rapidly since June. (Read More)