According to scientists, this new version Covid is considered sneakier than the original version of Omicron
A man gets tested for Covid-19 at a testing centre in Washington DC. Pic/AFP
Scientists and health officials around the world are keeping their eyes on a descendant of the Omicron variant that has been found in more than 50 countries, including the United States. This version of the Coronavirus, which scientists call BA.2, is widely considered stealthier than the original Omicron because particular genetic traits make it somewhat harder to detect.
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Danish scientists reported this week that preliminary information suggests it may be one-and-a-half times more contagious than the original variant. But scientists say there’s a lot they still don’t know about it, including whether it causes more severe disease.
Where has it spread?
More than 18,000 genetic sequences of BA.2 have been uploaded to GISAID, a global platform for sharing Coronavirus data, according to data collected by Scripps Research labs. The strain has been detected in at least 54 countries and 24 US states. “Thus far, we haven’t seen it start to gain ground in the US,” said Dr Wesley Long, a pathologist at Houston Methodist in Texas.
The mutant appears much more common in Asia and Europe. In Denmark, it has spread quickly and become the dominant variant, according to State Serum Institute. Preliminary calculations indicate that BA.2 is one and a half times more contagious than BA.1, the original Omicron, the institute’s Dr Tyra Grove Krause said in a press release earlier this week.
What’s known?
BA.2 has lots of mutations. About 20 of them in the spike protein that studs the outside of the virus are shared with the original Omicron. But it also has additional genetic changes not seen in the initial version. It’s unclear how significant those mutations are, especially in a population that has encountered the original Omicron, said Dr Jeremy Luban, a virologist at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. For now, the original Omicron BA.1 and its descendant BA.2 are considered subsets of Omicron. Scientists at the UK Health Security Agency found that vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease appears similar for BA.1 and BA.2. Looking at all vaccine brands combined, scientists found that they were about 70 per cent effective against symptomatic disease from BA.2 two or more weeks after a booster shot of the vaccine.
What should you do?
Doctors advise the same precautions they have all alongfor Covid-19. Get vaccinated and follow public health guidance about wearing masks, avoid crowds and staying home when you’re sick.“The latest version is another reminder that the pandemic hasn’t ended. We all wish that it was over,” Long said.
37,13,54,758
Total number of cases Worldwide as of Saturday
56,70,536
Total no. of deaths worldwide
29,31,77,698
Patients recovered worldwide as of Saturday
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