WHO Omicron Reclassification... Domestic XL Variant Renamed to 'XQ Variant' (Update)

원본보기 아이콘

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] As the World Health Organization (WHO) subdivided the detailed lineages of Omicron, some domestic Omicron variants and recombinant variants were classified differently.

On the 26th, the Central Disease Control Headquarters announced that WHO reclassified Omicron from the existing 4 lineages into 83 detailed lineages. The previous Omicron lineages were BA.1, BA1.1, BA.2, and BA.3.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters' calculation of domestic Omicron lineages based on the new classification system, BA.2 was reclassified into about 5 lineages. As of the third week of April, BA.2.3 (63.5%), BA.2 (16.8%), BA.2.12 (10.3%), BA.2.5 (1.0%), BA.2.10 (2.4%), and others (0.2%) accounted for 94.2% of domestic COVID-19 cases.

There is currently no data analyzing the transmissibility or severity of BA.2.3 and BA.2.12, which have relatively high proportions. However, the Central Disease Control Headquarters believes that the number of confirmed cases in overseas countries where the share of these lineages is increasing is decreasing, so they are unlikely to significantly affect the increase in confirmed cases.

BA.2.3 (63.5%) and BA.2.12 (10.3%), which have high domestic incidence rates, are detailed lineages reclassified from the existing BA.2, and although there are no reports on transmissibility or severity,

the Omicron recombinant variant 'XL' confirmed domestically on the 12th was also reclassified as 'XQ' under the WHO's new classification system.

The Central Disease Control Headquarters stated that although the types and shares of detailed lineages vary by country as Omicron detailed lineages diversify, most detailed lineages are not expected to have a significant impact on the increase in confirmed cases.

A representative from the Central Disease Control Headquarters said, "Continuous monitoring is necessary to prepare for the emergence of detailed lineages and new variants showing an increasing trend along with the rise in confirmed cases in some countries recently, and the authorities will conduct thorough variant surveillance."

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.