Sub-variant BA.2 “spreads like a weed”, could cause a wave of epidemics in Europe and globally

In Europewhile all attention is focused on the military situation in Ukraine, it seems that interest in the epidemic COVID-19 is less. Regarding the warning that the stealth variant BA.2 is causing a wave of epidemics in Europe and may soon spread globally, there are several causes for this situation, but the most notable one is a misconception. The mistake of people in many places that “the epidemic is ending”.

According to epidemiology professor Ralf Reintjes of the University of Applied Sciences Hamburg (Germany), the number of COVID-19 cases across Europe, from the UK, France, Italy to Austria, is increasing due to a number of factors. Many countries decided to remove most, even all, restrictions on COVID-19; Impaired immunity from vaccines and boosters with spread of subtype BA.2 (“stealth Omicron” variant).

Subvariant BA.2 is causing a wave of epidemics in Europe and may soon spread globally. (Photo: DW)

Over the past week, Germany’s daily new COVID-19 cases have increased between 200,000 and 300,000 per day. According to Professor Reintjes, the mentality that the pandemic is over has allowed sub-variant BA.2 “good chance to spread like a weed in many areas of Europe”.

Professor Ralf Reintjes said: “It is difficult to predict, but I think it is very likely that the number of new cases will continue to increase, the new variant will “travel” around the world like when the new pandemic broke out.“.

Mr. Reintjes noted that there were cases of infection with the Omicron variant or the BA.1 sub-variant of Omciron but a few weeks later continued to be infected with BA.2. According to CNBC, public health experts and scientists are closely monitoring the BA.2 sub-variant as it fuels an increasing number of new COVID-19 cases in Europe. BA.2 also accounts for an increasing proportion of COVID-19 cases in the US and Asia.

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