BA.4 Variant: India has reported the first confirmed case of BA.4 Variant in Telangana, Hyderabad. The news was revealed on May 19, 2022 from the COVID-19 Genomic Surveillance Program. The Scientists associated with the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium of Genomics (INSACOG) also informed that from India, the details of the BA.4 subvariant were entered on GISAID on May 9. It was further added that the random cases of BA.4 Omicron Variant may also have been detected in other cities in India over the last few days.
Know more about BA.4 Omicron Variant, how deadly it is and what are the symptoms.
BA.4 Omicron Variant in India
The first case of the new Omicron BA.4 sub-variant was reported from Telangana, Hyderabad. Reportedly, the sample was found in an African National who had arrived in India at Hyderabad airport. After sequencing the sample from the individual, it was found that he was carrying BA.4 Omicron Variant.
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What is BA4 Omicron variant?
The BA.4 is a sub-variant of Omicron. It has been declared a variant of concern along with the BA.5 variant by the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. Earlier in May, the World Health Organisation that sublineages, BA.4 and BA.5, of the highly transmissible Omicron variant, had first detected the sub-variant in South Africa.
Where was BA.4 Omicron Variant first detected?
The sub variant of Omicron was first detected in South Africa in January 2022. The earliest sample was collected in South Africa on January 10, however, the data shows that the ‘accumulation of genomes’ and geographic spread of the Omicron subvariant is more recent, as per a recent report by United Kingdom’s Health Security Agency.
Since then, it became a dominant variant in South Africa along with BA.5 and together they replaced 55% of the other COVID-19 variants.
BA.4 Omicron Variant: Which other countries it has spread to?
Omicron subvariants are circulating in several European nations as well as the United States. BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron variants have been detected in Germany, Botswana, Denmark and other countries. Notably, BA.4 and BA.5 are spreading more rapidly in some countries than the previous Omicron variants, particularly BA.1 and BA.2. At least 16 countries have reported about 700 cases of BA.4.
How deadly is Omicron sub-variant BA.4?
The latest sub-lineages of Omicron- BA.4 and BA.5 have been reported in a number of countries, including some of the European nations and South Africa. BA.4 virus remains deadly, particularly for those who are unprotected and unvaccinated and don’t have the access to healthcare and antivirals.
As per the National Centre for Disease Control, it is highly unlikely that there will be a jump in COVID cases in the coming days due to BA.4 variant. It further added that it is also unlikely that the number of hospitalizations will increase rapidly due to Omicron BA.4 variant.
What are symptoms of BA.4 Omicron Variant?
The scientists studying the sub-lineages of this variant stated that the cold-like symptoms vaccinated and boosted feel as a result of an Omicron infection are mostly the same regardless of the subvariant. The Omicron symptoms have been pretty consistent and there is also less incidence of people losing their sense and smell. In a lot of ways, it is a bad cold, stuffy nose, a lot of respiratory symptoms, body ache, coughing, and fatigue.
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