Omicron ‘sub-variant’ answers new virus questions | Coronavirus Plague News
Scientists are studying the recent emergence of new species Omicron range about the coronavirus to determine how its release could affect the spread of future epidemics.
Early Omicron strains have become a major viral problem in recent months but British health officials have identified hundreds of recent strains, called BA.2, while global data show it could spread rapidly.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has identified more than 400 cases in Britain in the first 10 days of this month and has indicated that more recent cases have been reported in 40 other countries, making the most recent cases in some countries including. India, Denmark and Sweden.
UKHSA revealed on Friday that it had selected a subgroup of BA.2 as a separate case under investigation (VUI) as cases grew even though, in Britain, the BA.1 line was still large.
The regime emphasized that “there is still uncertainty about the significance of viral mutations”, which need to be monitored as, similarly, recent events show a dramatic increase in BA.2 events particularly in India and Denmark.
“What surprised us the most was the rapid spread of this species, which has been widespread in Asia, in Denmark,” French epidemiologist Antoine Flahault told AFP.
Scientists need to monitor how the virus continues to evolve and adapt. His recent birth has no specific mutations used to compare and compare BA.1 with Delta, a type previously known.
BA.2 has not yet been described as a concern – but Flahault says countries need to be more aware of what is happening soon as scientists increase their scrutiny.
“[France] expected a rise in pollution in mid-January. It did not happen and it is probably because of the slow evolution, which seems to be contagious but not very dangerous ”than BA.1, he observed.
“What excites us like this [sub-variant] has different characteristics “from BA.1 in terms of transmission and risk, the French health ministry said Friday.
So far, very few cases of BA.2 have been reported in France – but the country is still monitoring the situation as it spreads across the Channel.
‘Properly deserved’
Flahault, director of the University of Geneva’s Institute of Global Health, says the term is not dangerous but “alert” because “right now we have an idea. [BA.2 case] maturity is similar to ”Omicron’s very different cases.
“But there are a lot of questions on the table” and the need to monitor the new format on the block.
“The oldest data from India and Denmark show that there is no significant difference in maturity compared to BA.1,” tweeted Tom Peacock, a virologist at Imperial College, London, adds that the recent evolution should not question the effectiveness of existing vaccines.
Peacock stressed, “Currently we do not have a strong support for… the amount of transmissibility BA.2 can have than BA.1. However, we can only make speculations / previews. ”
“There may be a slight difference in the effectiveness of the vaccine against BA.1 and BA.2. Personally, I am not sure that BA.2 will significantly affect Omicron waves of the epidemic,” he added.
“Several countries are near, or at the peak of BA.1 waves. I would be very surprised if BA.2 launched the second wave at this time. “Even with the slightest spread this is not a change for Delta-Omicron and instead it is smaller and more hidden,” he said.
France’s health minister, Olivier Veran, said Thursday that BA.2 did not appear to be changing the game because a variety of colors appeared on the site “always”. But he said that he would keep the judgment.
“What we know here is that [BA.2] more or less in line with what we know about Omicron ”write one.
