New subtype BA.2.12.1 accounts for 1/5 of cases in the US after only 1 week of discovery

According to NBC News, BA.2.12.1 is a new sub-variant isolated from BA.2. According to the New York Department of Health, where BA.2.12.1 was first discovered last week, it may be the cause of the sudden increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in upstate New York in recent days. this.

BA.2.12.1 now accounts for more than half of the Covid-19 cases in New York and New Jersey according to statistics in these regions; about one-fifth of cases in the United States, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

A person wears a costume to “cosplay” the SARS-CoV-2 virus at the annual Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival in New York on April 17 – Photo: REUTERS

Sheet Daily Mail cites a CDC report that says it has included BA.2.12.1 in NOWCAST, a model that estimates recent rates of circulating strains for prompt public health action.

The move suggests the CDC will monitor it more often, as it could be a new threat, increasing the number of daily cases.

Very little is known about this sub-variant. It is thought to be about 27% more contagious than BA.2, however this figure still needs further study. There was no evidence to suggest any difference in virulence (potential for severe disease) of BA.2.12.1 compared with earlier versions. But as a rule, just being skeptical about the rate of spread faster than previous strains is enough for a strain/sub-variant to be placed on a close watch list.

Currently, the subtype BA.2 of Omicron is still dominant in the US – 75% of cases.