Another New Variant... 'BA.2.75' Confirmed in India

9 Additional Mutations in Spike Protein Compared to BA.2

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] As the BA.5 subvariant of the Omicron variant becomes dominant worldwide, a new variant has emerged in India.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), stated at a press briefing on the 6th (local time), "A subvariant called BA.2.75 has been identified in countries like India and is currently under surveillance." According to foreign media, BA.2.75 was first detected in India in early last month and has since been confirmed in 10 countries. It is known among researchers by the nickname "Centaurus."

The characteristic of BA.2.75 is that the mutations in the virus's spike protein are more numerous than those in the existing Omicron variant or its subvariants. BA.2.75 has nine additional mutations in the spike protein compared to BA.2, which is referred to as "Stealth Omicron." The BA.2.12.1 variant, which led to a resurgence in New York, USA, showed two additional amino acid mutations compared to BA.2.

Overseas virus experts are also paying attention to this point. Dr. Tom Peacock, a virologist at Imperial College London, said, "BA.2.75 has many spike protein mutations, so it is worth monitoring closely," adding, "There are concerns about its rapid growth and widespread transmission."

The number of COVID-19 cases in India, where this variant was first identified, has been steadily increasing since the last week of May. It recently recorded the highest number of cases among Southeast Asian countries over the past week. From the 27th of last month to the 3rd of this month, COVID-19 cases in India increased by 21% compared to the previous week, reaching 112,456 cases.

The WHO has stated that more observation time is needed as the exact impact of BA.2.75 on severity, transmissibility, and immune evasion is not yet fully understood. Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, WHO Chief Scientist, said, "Although infectivity and severity are not yet clearly known, the mutations occur in the virus's key receptor-binding region, so it must be monitored," adding, "If a virus sufficiently different to be considered a separate variant of concern emerges, the committee will designate it as such."

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