A new COVID variant which is potentially 10 percent more transmissible than Omicron is being monitored by health authorities around the world.
The new variant, XE, was first detected in the United Kingdom on January 19 and more than 600 cases have been confirmed in the country since.
XE is recombinant of two other strains, BA.1 - the original strain of Omicron - and BA.2.
On the limited data compiled so far, early estimates suggest the new strain is about 10 percent more transmissible than BA.2, but more data is needed to confirm this.
"XE belongs to the Omicron variant until significant differences in transmission and disease characteristics, including severity, may be found," a report on March 29 by the World Health Organisation (WHO) said.
UK health authorities said in late March there was "insufficient evidence to draw conclusions about growth advantage or other properties of this variant."
"This particular recombinant, XE, has shown a variable growth rate and we cannot yet confirm whether it has a true growth advantage," said Susan Hopkins, chief medical advisor for United Kingdom's Health Security Agency.
The WHO said it will continue to closely monitor and assess the public health risk associated with recombinant variants and would provide further updates as evidence becomes available.
It comes as Ministers will review the COVID-19 Protection Framework settings on Monday afternoon and whether the red light settings continue to be appropriate for New Zealand.
Speaking to AM on Monday morning ahead of Cabinet's decision, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said ministers will be examining trends in hospitalisations
"The point I think of moving is less about the number of cases but more about hospitalisations," she said.
"The idea is to move at a point when we believe that our hospitalisations have stabilised and that even if there were a small number that might be contributed it wouldn't have an impact on our health system."
