Few months back when Omicron variant of COVID-19 came to the limelight, it created panic as having a variant with high mutations, high infectivity. Originating from South Africa, rapidly spread to all countries in a few days.
But fortunately, its rate of hospitalization, complications and mortality is much low compared to the devastating delta variant.
Now a new strain, called as BA.2 , a sub variant of Omicron has been developed having some stealth properties. It easily evades the diagnostic tests like RT-PCR.
In Omicron, the gene deletion for spike gene,make it detectable in RT-PCR.
But in BA.2 variant, it is lacking making the variant difficult to detect in diagnostic tests.
WHO has designated it as “variant under investigation ” ,one notch below the variant of concern.
Investigated in Denmark, it now rapidly spreading throughout European countries including in other sub continents also.
The symptoms are same as in Omicron variant like fever, cough, running nose, sore throat, headache, body aches, malaise, weakness.
The severity is also low, unlike delta variant. WHO is investigating further about this sub-lineage. Existing vaccines are also effective against it. Let’s see the future course, much details of the sub variant will come to the limelight.
