A sub-variant of the fast-spreading and heavily mutated Omicron strain of the coronavirus has now been detected in as many as 57 countries, warned the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday. In what comes as a key cause for concern, some studies have indicated that this Omicron sub-variant could be even more infectious than the original version, which has rapidly become the dominant variant worldwide in only 10 weeks from when it was first detected in southern Africa.The WHO, in its recent weekly epidemiological update, explained that Omicron, accounting for over 93 per cent 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 very first Omicron sub-variants that were identified, still account for over 96 per cent of all the Omicron sequences uploaded to the GISAID global science initiative. However, there has since then been a clear rise in cases involving the BA.2 sub-variant, which counts several different mutations from the original – including one 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.Omicron, in general, is known to cause less severe disease than previous coronavirus variants, like Delta, that has wreaked havoc before. So far, there has been “no indication that there is a change in severity” with the BA.2 sub-variant, said Van Kerkhove.