MOSCOW, January 13. /TASS/. New Omicron variant XBB.1.5, dubbed Kraken, is the most contagious coronavirus variant since the pandemic started, Kamil Khafizov, who heads a group working on genomic research at the sanitary watchdog’s Central Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology, told TASS on Friday.

"Kraken is probably the most contagious variant since the COVID-19 pandemic started," he said.

The first case of XBB.1.5 in Russia was announced on Thursday as Kraken was registered in the Penza Region. There are no plans to impose restrictions, the watchdog said.