THE World Health Organization (WHO), the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and health officials across the globe are monitoring an Omicron variant after it gained significant attention for possessing more than thirty mutations within its spike protein.
The highly mutated variant known as BA.2.86 has been detected in very small numbers in the US, United Kingdom, Denmark, and Israel.
The WHO classified it as a ‘variant under monitoring’ due to the large number of mutations it carries.
This new lineage has 36 mutations while a few sequences of the variant have been reported in a handful of countries.
Experts said it is still too early to tell if the new Omicron subvariant will have a greater impact compared to other strains of the virus or escape immune responses from prior infection or vaccination.
So far, authorities have detected only one case of BA.2.86 in Israel.
A senior epidemiologist in Israel said there is no need to worry about the new strain of COVID-19 but rather people should be worried about the lack of lessons learned in Israel and many other countries regarding the lack of preparation and investment for a pandemic and health emergencies.
