PARIS —
Scientists are keeping a close watch on a recently-discovered
sub-variant of the
Omicron version of the
COVID-19 virus to determine how its
emergence could affect future pandemic spread.
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The initial Omicron variant has become the dominant virus
strain in recent months but British health authorities have notably identified
hundreds of cases of the latest version, dubbed BA.2, while international data
suggest it could spread relatively quickly.
The
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) identified more than
400 cases in Britain in the first 10 days of this month and has indicated the
latest variant has been detected in some 40 other countries, accounting for a
majority of most recent cases in some nations including India, Denmark, and
Sweden.
The UKHSA indicated Friday it had designated the BA.2
sub-lineage as a variant under investigation as cases of it were on the
increase even if, in Britain, the BA.1 lineage currently remains dominant.
The authority underlined that "there is still
uncertainty around the significance of the changes to the viral genome,"
which required surveillance as, in parallel, cases in recent days showed a
sharp rise in BA.2 incidence notably in India and Demark.
"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," French epidemiologist
Antoine Flahault told AFP.
Scientists must evaluate how the virus, which has engendered
the worst global health crisis in a century, continues to evolve and mutate.
Its latest incarnation does not possess the specific mutation used to track and
compare BA.1 against Delta, the previously dominant strain.
BA.2 has yet to be designated a variant of concern — but
Flahault says countries have to be alert to the latest development as
scientists ramp up surveillance.
"(France) expected a spike in contaminations in
mid-January: It didn't happen and perhaps that is due to this sub-variant,
which seems very transmissible but not more virulent" than BA.1, he
observed.
"What interests us is if this (sub-variant) possesses
different characteristics" from BA.1 in terms of contagiousness and
severity, France's public health agency said Friday.
To date, only a handful of BA.2 cases have emerged in France
— but the country is monitoring developments as they spread across the Channel.
"Comparable severity"
Flahault, director of the
University of Geneva's Institute
of Global Health, says the watchword is not panic but "vigilance" as
"for now we have the impression (BA.2 case) severity is comparable
to" classic variant Omicron cases.
"But there are numerous questions on the table"
and a need to monitor properties of the new variant on the block.
"Very early observations from India and Denmark suggest
there is no dramatic difference in severity compared to BA.1," tweeted Tom
Peacock, a virologist at Imperial College, London, adding the latest variant
should not call into question the effectiveness of existing vaccines.
Peacock stressed that "we do not currently have a
strong handle on ... how much more transmissibility BA.2 might have over BA.1.
However, we can make some guesses/early observations."
He added that "there is likely to be minimal
differences in vaccine effectiveness against BA.1 and BA.2. Personally, I'm not
sure BA.2 is going to have a substantial impact on the current Omicron wave of
the pandemic.
"Several countries are near, or even past the peak of
BA.1 waves. I would be very surprised if BA.2 caused a second wave at this
point. Even with slightly higher transmissibility this absolutely is not a
Delta-Omicron change and instead is likely to be slower and more subtle,"
he forecast.
French Health Minister Olivier Veran said Thursday that BA.2
did not look as if it would prove a game-changer as variants appear on the
scene "fairly regularly". But he indicated he would reserve judgment.
"What we know for now is that (BA.2) more or less
corresponds to the characteristics that we know of Omicron" mark one.
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