Chinese authorities reported 1,337 locally transmitted cases of COVID-19 across dozens of mainland cities Monday and it is the fast-spreading variant commonly known as "stealth omicron".
The U.K. Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) announced Friday it is investigating a sub-lineage of the omicron coronavirus variant—known as BA.2 and named by some scientists as “stealth omicron”.
Why "Stealth Omicron" is transmissible strain of coronavirus is actively spreading in the China? We must know what Stealth Omicron.
What is Stealth Omicron?
According to World Health Organization (WHO), the Omicron variant has three sub-strains: BA.1, BA.2 and BA.3. It further said that as many as 99 per cent of the cases sequenced were found to be containing the BA.1 sub-strain.
The WHO further said that the knowledge about B.1.1.529 is still developing, but this lineage is more diverse.
Apart from the UK, the BA.2 has been found in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Earlier scientists in France and India have also warned about the quick spread of the BA.2 sub-variant, which is expected to outpace other Omicron strains.
Vipin M Vashishtha, Member of WHO’s Vaccine Safety Net, said on Twitter that BA.2 shares 32 mutations with BA.1 but also has 28 unique mutations of its own.
It has 20 mutations which spikes protein that studs the outside of the virus are shared with the original Omicron. It has additional genetic changes not seen in the initial version.
Original version BA.1, and BA.2 are considered subsets of Omicron. The quick spread of BA.2 in China is worrisome for the world as most of the countries in the world have already 3 waves of COVID-19 variants and this virus may raise a chances of fourth wave. So 'Stealth Omicron' can become new challenge for health experts and also for the world.
(With inputs from AP)
