Two sub-variants of Omicron spread rapidly in the US

Model of the SARS-CoV-2 virus on a car advertising a home test kit in Boston, Massachusetts, USA – Photo: REUTERS

The above figures were announced by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on June 7. It remains unclear whether it will lead to a new wave of COVID-19 or an increase in hospitalizations and deaths, scientists say.

However, the current trend suggests that the two sub-lines BA.4 and BA.5 may soon be as popular as the two sub-lines BA.2 and BA.2.12.1.

According to information published June 9 by Reuters news agency, two sub-lines BA.4 and BA.5 were first detected in South Africa earlier this year and data on them are still limited.

Initial records show that these strains seem to spread faster than earlier versions of the variant Omicron and better able to evade the immune system. There is not much evidence that they cause more severe disease, although more research is needed to confirm.

In April and May, sublines BA.4 and BA.5 increased COVID-19 cases in South Africa. However, the wave this time is not as large as the previous waves and the number of deaths has not increased sharply.

According to the data of New York TimesOver the past few weeks, the US recorded an average of 100,000 new COVID-19 cases per day, up from less than 30,000 at the end of March.

Hospitalizations have begun to decline in the northeastern United States, but are rising elsewhere.

In the past month, an average of 250-400 Americans died a day from COVID-19, much lower than the epidemic wave last winter.

Globally, the most recent data show that BA.4 and BA.5 still represent only a fraction of cases, but this could change in the coming weeks.

In a recent report, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the two sublines are becoming popular in many countries the way the original Omicron sublines used to.