Two new variants of the coronavirus gain ground in the United States: BA.4 and BA.5

Two relatively new variants of the omicron strain of coronavirusBA.4 and BA.5, have been gaining ground in recent weeks in the United States, at a time when the country has practically returned to normality, but which coincides with a rebound in the pandemic.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDCfor its acronym in English), the BA.4 and BA.5 -responsible for the rise in infections in South Africa during the months of April and May-, already account for 13% of the cases detected in the US.

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Just a week ago, these variants were responsible for only 6% of cases; and a month ago, they barely had a presence in USA, which indicates that its expansion is taking place at a very high rate.

The White House coordinator for the response to covid-19, Ashish-Jhasaid in an interview with the NBC channel that his projections are that in late summer or early fall, BA.4 and BA.5 are the most common variants of coronavirus in the country.

These variants, which were first detected in South Africa in early 2022, are more infectious than other strains of omicron and they have a greater capacity to circumvent the immune defense system, although at the moment they have not been shown to cause a more severe disease than the other types of omicron.

USA is going through a moment of confusion around the pandemic, in which the country has resumed normal practice in terms of economic activity and even preventive measures such as the use of masks, but nevertheless the cases of infections are rising, and Many experts warn that the figures do not reflect the real magnitude of cases.

Source: Elcomercio

Ronald Payne

I, Ronald Payne, am a journalist and author who dedicated his life to telling the stories that need to be said. I have over 7 years of experience as a reporter and editor, covering everything from politics to business to crime.