"20% More Transmissible Than Stealth Omicron"…'BA.2.12.1 Variant' Confirmed in Singapore

COVID-19 Electron Microscope Image [Image Source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Nayeon] A new variant, estimated to have about 20% higher transmissibility than the 'Stealth Omicron (BA.2)' COVID-19 variant, has also been identified in Singapore.

The Straits Times and CNA broadcasts, citing the Ministry of Health, reported on the 29th that two locally infected COVID-19 patients were confirmed to be infected with this variant.

BA.2.12.1 is a sub-lineage variant reclassified from BA.2, first detected in the United States in December last year, and currently, the share of BA.2.12.1 is increasing mainly in New York.

The newspapers reported that as of mid-this month, the BA.2.12.1 variant has been identified in more than 40 countries, but added that this variant has not yet been included in the World Health Organization (WHO)'s variants of interest or variants of concern.

Dr. Sebastian Maurer-Stroh told the newspaper, "The BA.2.12.1 variant has particularly spread in North America and will soon become the dominant strain there," but also pointed out that there is no experimental data yet on whether this variant is more transmissible compared to BA.2.

Dr. Maurer-Stroh added that since the vaccination rate is high in Singapore, there is no particular concern about any specific Omicron variant or its sub-variants.

According to the Singapore Ministry of Health, more than 98% of locally infected cases in Singapore since the 15th of last month are BA.2 variants.

Lee Sangwon, head of the Epidemiological Investigation and Analysis Team at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, explained in a recent media briefing that BA.2, which is known to have the highest transmission speed so far with 30% higher transmissibility than the original Omicron, is now thought to be about 20% less transmissible than BA.2.12.1, and there is no evidence that the BA.2.12.1 variant affects severity.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.