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Cases of an Omicron variant identified in laboratories have more than trebled in the past week.
Latest figures on the covid genome database show that lab-sequenced cases of the Omicron sub-lineage BA.2 have risen from just over 400 a week ago to 1431 on Monday.
Scientists believe the variant could be even more transmissible than the already highly infectious Omicron, which has led to hundreds of thousands of cases a week for the past month.
Experts at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) believe there is not yet any evidence that BA.2 poses a greater risk to people, either through severity of disease or impact on vaccine protection. The numbers are also currently very small compared to the original Omicron variant.
But the emergence of the variant is a reminder that coronavirus is continuing to evolve even as all parts of the UK lift restrictions.
inews.co.uk
Latest figures on the covid genome database show that lab-sequenced cases of the Omicron sub-lineage BA.2 have risen from just over 400 a week ago to 1431 on Monday.
Scientists believe the variant could be even more transmissible than the already highly infectious Omicron, which has led to hundreds of thousands of cases a week for the past month.
Experts at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) believe there is not yet any evidence that BA.2 poses a greater risk to people, either through severity of disease or impact on vaccine protection. The numbers are also currently very small compared to the original Omicron variant.
But the emergence of the variant is a reminder that coronavirus is continuing to evolve even as all parts of the UK lift restrictions.
Cases of Omicron 'stealth variant' BA.2 treble in a week - but no evidence it is more harmful
The increase in cases is a reminder that coronavirus is continuing to evolve even as all parts of the UK lift restrictions
inews.co.uk