The state’s COVID-19 variant report last week showed the first presence of the new variant of concern, XBB.1.5, in Honolulu County wastewater samples. This version of the virus is known as a “recombinant,” a combination of pieces from multiple infections occurring in a single person.

On Friday, East-West Center pandemic expert Tim Brown showed charts on the Star-Advertiser’s “Spotlight Hawaii” webcast, tracking the variant: It’s dominant in the East Coast, moving west. So get boosted: This trend’s likely to grow here as well.