New Omicron Subtype BA.2 is Spreading Quickly

KOMPAS.com - A new subtype of the omicron coronavirus variant is spreading in Denmark, the UK, India, Sweden, and many other countries. The exact impact of the genome mutations is still unclear.

We already know from the first omicron variant BA.1 that it is significantly more contagious than earlier coronavirus variants. Now a subtype, BA.2, has emerged. At least 400 people have been infected with it during the first 10 days of January in the United Kingdom, and it has already been detected in more than 40 other countries worldwide.

Most detections in Denmark

The PANGO directory of coronaviruses, which is regularly updated by scientists from the universities of Oxford, Edinburgh, and Cambridge, lists Denmark as the most affected area, with 79 percent of the cases detected so far.

Also read: Indonesia Rolls Out Booster Shots, amid Omicron Concerns

It is followed by the UK (6 percent), India (5 percent), Sweden (2 percent), and Singapore (2 percent). However, it should be noted that detection of the subtype depends on the ability of individual health care systems to sequence PCR tests.

The danger posed by omicron BA.2 is still unknown

The rapid spread of the new subtype suggests it could be even more contagious than the original omicron variant. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has classified BA.2 as a "variant under surveillance."

A graph with the names of various coronavirus variants and where they first appeared
"It is the nature of viruses to evolve and mutate, so it's to be expected that we will continue to see new variants emerge as the pandemic goes on," said Meera Chand, incident director at UKHSA. "Our continued genomic surveillance allows us to detect them and assess whether they are significant."

For subtype BA.2, that analysis is still underway.

"So far, there is insufficient evidence to determine whether BA.2 causes more severe illness than omicron BA.1," said Chand.

Also read: Indonesia Identifies First Locally Transmitted Covid-19 Omicron Case

Vaccination remains important in face of new mutations
British Health Secretary Sajid Javid has said the emergence of the new variant shows the continued importance of vaccination. "I encourage you to give yourself and your loved ones the best protection possible and get boosted now," he said.

French epidemiologist Antoine Flahault told the French news agency AFP: "What surprised us is the rapidity with which this sub-variant, which has been circulating to a great extent in Asia, has taken hold in Denmark."

So far, infections with subtype BA.2 are not more severe than with subtype BA.1.