The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that they are now tracking two new subtypes of the highly permeable Omicron variant – known as Ba.4 and Ba.5. WHO had earlier also added BA.1.1 and BA.3 to its tracking list.
type Those that are currently leading globally include BA.1 and BA.2.
WHO is tracking these new strains, BA.4 and BA.5, to understand whether they are more contagious or dangerous. According to WHO, only a few dozen cases of BA.4 and BA.5 have been recorded in the global GISAID database.
The UK’s Health Protection Agency (UKHSA) said last week that Ba.4 was detected in South Africa, Denmark, Botswana, Scotland and England from January 10 to March 30.
All BA.5 There were cases in South Africa until last week, but on Monday Botswana’s health ministry said it had identified four cases of BA.4 and BA.5, all among people aged 30 to 50, who were not fully diagnosed. Was vaccinated and was experiencing mild symptoms.
The WHO said it has begun tracking them because of their “additional mutations that need further study to understand their effect on the ability to evade immunity”.
Viruses mutate all the time but only certain mutations affect their ability to spread or survive immunity prior to vaccination or infection, or the severity of the disease they cause.
For example, BA.2 now represents about 94% of all sequenced cases and is more transmitted than its siblings, but the evidence so far suggests that it is unlikely to cause serious disease.
download
The app will get 14 days of unlimited access to Mint Premium absolutely free!