Scientists at the World Health Organization have now shown that they are largely following a new subvariant, dubbed BA. 2. 75.
Since appearing in March, Omicron and his emerging subvariants have kept the world on guard when it comes to COVID.
Although omicron subvariants have been found to be more infectious but more virulent than previous strains of the virus, experts have argued that a new variant with significant mutations may worsen the course of the pandemic.
If the early evidence is to be believed, the last known subvariant of Omicron possibly is.
What did WHO say about BA. 2. 75?
Who released a short video on July 6 recognizing the new subvariant. Speaking on behalf of the WHO, the lead scientist said the variant has been officially named, but it is called BA. 2. 75.
He went on to say, “There are still limited sequences for analysis, but this variant appears to have mutations in the spike protein receptor binding domain. . . we want to monitor this. “
How many have detected the subvariety so far?
In a series of tweets, Dr. Shay Fleishon, of the Central Laboratory of Virology at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer, said that so far 85 sequences of the variant have been uploaded to Nextstrain, an open platform for genomic sequencing data.
The subvariant thus has been detected in 11 countries.
In addition to India, so have the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Japan, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Where in India was BA. 2. 75 detected?
69 of the BA. 2. 75 sequences uploaded to Nextstrain came from 10 states in India. These are: Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
BA. 2. 75 is also difficult to detect, which means that the actual numbers are much higher than the sequencing knowledge we have.
How is this subvariant different?
According to Dr. Fleishon, “this is a second generation for BA. 2, jumping 16 mutations, 8 are in S (four in NTD, four in RBD one reversal). “
According to researchers at Bloom Lab, a laboratory for the molecular evolution of proteins and viruses in the United States, the subvariant has two primary mutations in G446S and R493Q.
R493Q is not a primary antigenic mutation, activates G446S and increases the affinity of BA. 2. 75 with ACE2, the protein that attaches to and infects human cells.
The WHO, in its official statement, also stated that mutations in this subvariable should be monitored.
BA. 2. 75 Can the vaccine be protected?
Based on the first evidence, experts like that.
Omicron and his subvariants are known to circumvent vaccine coverage as immunity to a previous infection.
According to Bloom Lab, a laboratory that reads the molecular evolution of proteins and viruses in the United States, “BA. 2. 75 will have antibody leakage similar to that of BA. 4/5 compared to the existing vaccine.
Will BA. 2. 75 be the dominant COVID variant?
On his Twitter account, Dr. Shay Fleishon says it’s too early to say. “But,” he adds, BA. 2. 75 is worth noting, “as this would possibly mean a trend to come. “
Is this a variant of being worried?
While experts around the world reported on this new subvariant last week, the World Health Organization officially recognized it until July 6.
WHO lead scientist Soumya Swaminathan said it is “too early to say whether it can cause serious infections. “
He also added that the WHO is largely tracking knowledge from around the world.
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