dailyO
Variety

Study suggests new member in the Omicron family, BA.3. Here’s what we know so far

Advertisement
Varsha Vats
Varsha VatsMar 07, 2022 | 17:16

Study suggests new member in the Omicron family, BA.3. Here’s what we know so far

After predictions for the fourth wave which might come as a surprise in June in India, here’s another crucial update on the Covid situation of the country. Looks like there is a new member joining the Omicron family.

Omicron, which drove the third wave in the country, is now slowing down. However, the fear of its sub-variants still lingers. Earlier studies have highlighted concerns over the BA.2 variant. Many studies have also mentioned that the BA.2 variant is more transmissible than BA.1.

Advertisement

However, according to WHO, there is no difference in the severity of BA.1 compared to BA.2.

THERE IS A BA.3 SUB-VARIANT AS WELL

Now there are reports and studies on the third sub-variant of Omicron, the BA.3.

“I would like to reiterate that Omicron is a variant of concern and we are tracking Omicron in several sublineages. The most prominent ones that are detected worldwide are BA.1, BA.1.1 and BA.2. There's also BA.3 and other sublineages as well,” Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's infectious disease expert said.

WHO is studying the BA.2 and BA.3 variant in terms of severity, transmissibility and more.

A study published on January 18, 2022, in the Journal Of Medical Virology, provided some information about the BA.3 variant. The study reveals that the three lineages of Omicron (BA.1, BA.2 and BA.3) were detected at the same time and same place, South Africa.

Therefore, it can be said that the viruses have equal chances of spreading worldwide, as per the study.

Advertisement

covidgeneric647_030722051602.jpg
Illustration: Seemon, DailyO

“Our study found that there were no specific mutations for the BA.3 lineage in spike protein. Instead, it is a combination of mutations in BA.1 and BA.2 spike proteins” the study said.

The study has further added that the BA.3 sub-variant spreads at a slower speed, causing fewer cases than the other two variants.

What will the fourth wave look like?

It is believed that the BA.2 sub-variant may trigger the fourth wave in the country. But it is still unclear how severe it would be. The IIT study said that the fourth wave may start in June and will end in late October.

Currently, India’s Covid positivity rate stands at 0.71%. The country has reported 4,362 fresh Covid cases over the last 24 hours. There are very few Covid restrictions in only some parts of the country after the decline of the third wave.

Last updated: March 08, 2022 | 13:13
IN THIS STORY
Please log in
I agree with DailyO's privacy policy