Omicron BA.2 viral load twice as COVID BA.1 subvariant, warns expert. What does it indicate? Read here

Omicron BA.2 viral load twice as COVID BA.1 subvariant, warns expert. What does it indicate? Read here


The viral load for Omicron BA.2 is twice as much as the previously identified subvariant Omicron BA.1, a new study has revealed. And authors further explained, the increased viral load in the upper pharynx upon BA.2 infection may provide part of the explanation why Omicron BA.2 is more transmissible than variant across populations.

While conducting the study, the authors analysed about 174,933 swab samples using in Sweden where Omicron BA.2 caused a massive surge earlier this year.

Referring to the study, eminent physician Eric Topol said, No wonder BA.2 is causing so much transmissibility trouble.

Omicron BA.2 is dominant globally

Last week, WHO said that the highly contagious Omicron subvariant, BA.2 is now the dominant version of Omicron around the world. “Globally, BA.2 made up about 86% of cases reported to the WHO between February 16 and March 17.”

The previously dominant subvariants, BA.1 and BA.1.1, together represented about 13% of the cases. BA.2 is already dominant in the WHO’s Americas region and its share of cases has been steadily increasing in parts of Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East since the end of 2021, the agency said. When the WHO last reported these figures, on March 8, it said that BA.1.1 was the dominant subvariant and that BA.2 made up 34% of new cases, WHO said in a statement.

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