Desk Report
Publish: 02 Feb 2022, 04:53 pm
WHO Logo || Photo: Collected
A sub-variant of the highly contagious Omicron coronavirus
strain, which some studies indicate could be even more infectious than the
original version, has been detected in 57 countries, the WHO said Tuesday.
The fast-spreading and heavily mutated Omicron variant has
rapidly become the dominant variant worldwide since it was first detected in
southern Africa 10 weeks ago.
In its weekly epidemiological update, the World Health
Organization said that the variant, which accounts for over 93 percent of all
coronavirus specimens collected in the past month, counts several sub-lineages:
BA.1, BA.1.1, BA.2 and BA.3.
The BA.1 and BA.1.1 -- the first versions identified --
still account for over 96 percent of all the Omicron sequences uploaded to the
GISAID global science initiative, it said.
But there has been a clear rise in cases involving BA.2,
which counts several different mutations from the original -- including on the
spike protein that dots the virus's surface and is key to entering human cells.
"BA.2- designated sequences have been submitted to
GISAID from 57 countries to date," WHO said, adding that in some
countries, the sub-variant now accounted for over half of all Omicron sequences
gathered.
The UN health agency said little was known yet about the
differences between the sub-variants, and called for studies into its
characteristics, including its transmissibility, how good it is at dodging
immune protections and its virulence.
Several recent studies have hinted that BA.2 is more
infectious than the original Omicron.
Maria Van Kerkhove, one of the WHO's top experts on Covid,
told reporters Tuesday that information about the sub-variant was very limited,
but that some inital data indicated BA.2 had "a slight increase in growth
rate over BA.1"
Omicron in general is known to cause less severe disease
than previous coronavirus variants that have wreaked havoc, like Delta, and Van
Kerkhove said there so far was "no indication that there is a change in
severity" in the BA.2 sub-variant.
She stressed though that regardless of the strain, Covid
remained a dangerous disease and people should strive to avoid catching it.
"We need people to be aware that this virus is continuing
to circulate and its continuing to evolve," she said.
"It's really important that we take measures to reduce
our exposure to this virus, whichever variant is circulating."
Subscribe Shampratik Deshkal Youtube Channel
© 2024 Shampratik Deshkal All Rights Reserved. Design & Developed By Root Soft Bangladesh