The UK Health Security Agency said early analysis suggests BA.2 is more infectious than the first omicron strain but scientists haven't spotted any meaningful differences between the strains.
Scientists said early analysis seems to show that BA.2 is more transmissible than the first omicron strain, but they haven’t been able to spot any meaningful difference between the two strains. They add, as of Friday, there have been more than 400 confirmed cases of BA. 2 in 40 countries, with the first case being confirmed in December.
"It is the nature of viruses to evolve and mutate, so it’s to be expected that we will continue to see new variants emerge as the pandemic goes on," she continued. "Our continued genomic surveillance allows us to detect them and assess whether they are significant."was also detected in WashingtonAccording to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a variant "is a viral genome that may contain one or more mutations.
In the U.S., cases have crested and are dropping rapidly, following a pattern seen in Britain and South Africa, with researchers projecting a period of low spread in many countries by the end of March. Though U.S. deaths — now at 2,000 each day — are still rising, new hospital admissions have started to fall, and a drop in deaths is expected to follow.