[Breaking] "'Stealth Omicron' Overseas Inflow Share Rises Sharply from 3.2% to 17.4%"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Although the share of the BA.2 lineage, known as the 'Stealth Omicron,' remained low, the proportion of cases imported from overseas has significantly increased.

On the 16th, the Central Disease Control Headquarters (CDCH) stated in a back briefing that as of January this year, 53.2% of domestic Omicron infections were caused by the BA.1.1 lineage, followed by BA.1 (7.1%) and BA.2 (1.4%). The Omicron variant is broadly classified into four sub-lineages: BA.1, BA.1.1, BA.2, and BA.3.

Among infections imported from overseas, BA.1.1 accounted for the largest share at 42.5%, followed by BA.1 (38.8%) and BA.2 (17.4%). Notably, the influx of Stealth Omicron (BA.2) increased sharply from 3.2% in December last year to 17.4% in January.

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