As of November, 2023, SARS-CoV-2 XBB variants, including EG.5.1 (XBB.1.9.2.5.1), the currently predominant lineage, have been circulating worldwide, according to Nextstrain datasets. The EG.5.1 strain has a characteristic amino acid substitution in the spike protein (S; S:F456L), which allows the strain to escape humoral immunity (appendix p 16).1 EG.5.1 has further evolved, and its descendant lineage harbouring the S:L455F (ie, EG.5.1+S:L455F) variant has emerged and has been named HK.3 (XBB.1.9.2.5.1.1.3).
Characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 omicron HK.3 variant harbouring the FLip substitution | Litlas