Could the ‘Kraken’ subvariant affect Alberta hospital capacities?

As Alberta hospitals continue to operate beyond 100 per cent capacity, some are concerned with the potential impact of the new COVID-19 subvariant.

However, Dr. Eddy Lang, the head of emergency medicine in the Calgary zone, says it’s too soon to call.

“I don’t think we’re going to see a major change in the COVID-19 pandemic at this phase,” Lang said.

“I think it’s early days to say whether, other than showing up as a different variant in the lab, whether there’s really any clinically important difference to this.”

The province has confirmed on Wednesday four cases of “Kraken,” otherwise known as the XBB.1.5 subvariant.

While there’s still much to learn about the latest strain, experts call it highly contagious but less severe than previous versions of the virus.

Lang isn’t expecting a significant impact due to the new variant. However, Alberta hospitals continue to face an influx of patients, with wait times as high as six hours at some Calgary hospitals.

But Lang says it isn’t because of COVID-19.

“I’m not aware of any data to suggest that the new X-B Kraken variant is going to put any unusual strain on the healthcare system, more than it already is under,” he said.

“We’re seeing as much, if not more, influenza than COVID. Our pediatric colleagues are seeing a lot more RSV than anything else.”

Related Stories:

• 4 confirmed cases of COVID-19 subvariant ‘Kraken’ in Alberta

• Alberta government working on hospital capacity amid surge of respiratory illnesses

• ‘Emergency provisions,’ staff redeployment being explored as patients surge at Alberta Children’s Hospital

To help minimize the impact of such illnesses, including the Kraken subvariant, Lang advises wearing a mask and ensuring vaccinations are up to date.

Alberta is near the bottom of the list of provinces when it comes to the number of people vaccinated against COVID-19, as well as the number of people who have not gotten a booster shot.

The provincial government says they will continue to monitor the new subvariant, managing cases as they emerge.

-With files from Joey Chini.