A sub-strain of the Omicron COVID 19 variant has been detected in around 40 countries, according to the United Kingdom. The stealth Omicron, also known as the 2 sub-strain, can escape even the RT-PCR test, which was meant to detect the coronaviruses. Omicron has three sub-strains - BA. It is the nature of viruses to evolve and mutate, so it is to be expected that we will see new variants emerge, said Dr Meera Chand, the incident director at the UKHSA. She said that our continued genomic surveillance allows us to detect them and assess whether they are significant. Britain identified 53 sequences of the BA. As of January 10th, the 2 sublineage has grown rapidly in Denmark. In the second week of 2022, the 2 sub-strain accounted for 45 per cent of all COVID 19 cases in Denmark.
According to initial analysis by Denmark's Statens Serum Institut SSI there is no difference in hospitalisations for BA. BA was 2 compared to BA. There are also cases of this variant reported in Germany, Sweden, Norway and India, as well as in the UK and Denmark.
According to the UK-based virologist Tom Peacock, BA. 2 appears to be the major Omicron lineage in part of India and the Philippines and there is evidence that it is growing compared to BA. The Cambridge University physicist Cornelius Roemer shared a Twitter thread with 1 in Denmark, the UK and Germany.
Peacock said there are minimal differences in vaccine effectiveness against the BA. It is highly possible that BA has 2 variants. The BA will have a good cross-reactivity if a 1 infection is given. There is a 2 infection. He also advised labs working on surveillance or sequencing to keep a close eye on BA. BA cases were also reported in the UK and Denmark. In Sweden, Norway and India, 2 sub-strain have been detected.
Roemer is a BA. At the end of December, 2 has become the dominant Omicron variant in India. In mid-December, the 2 grew from 5 per cent to around 50 per cent by the beginning of January.
2 is a stealth Omicron because it lacks the deletion that allows it to be picked up by PCR tests. There is evidence that 2 is growing compared to BA, which appears to be the major Omicron lineage in parts of India and the Philippines. According to Professor Sunit K Singh, there are 1 in Denmark, the UK and Germany.
Experts consider that to be the gold standard in detecting the virus, even though these strains might escape RT-PCR at times.
The RT-PCR test is the gold standard test and there is no difference between Omicron or the previous Delta in the sensitivity or pick-up rate. The presently MD, Founder and Chief Radiologist of Mahajan Imaging Dr Harsh Mahajan told India Today that over 30 mutations in the spike protein in the Omicron variant do not make any difference in sensitivity.