Omicron subvariant BA.2 was found in five African countries, World Health Organization (WHO) scientist Dr Niksy Gumede-Moeletsi said Thursday.
He expressed concern about the discovery because the BA.2 samples might not appear to be an Omicron form.
BA.2, said Gumede-Moeletsi, has been reported to appear in five African countries, namely Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Senegal and South Africa.
"We are very worried," he told a news conference.
He added that BA.2 is currently proving difficult to identify as it is not always included in the S-Gene Target Failure criteria, which are usually used to distinguish the original Omicron from other variants.
Gumede-Moeletsi also said WHO was working closely with laboratories.
WHO, he said, had asked the group to forward samples that were not detected as Omicron for further investigation, so that a more accurate picture could be generated regarding the transmission of BA.2.
The BA.1 version of Omicron is somewhat easier to trace than the previous variants because BA.1 loses one of the three target genes in typical PCR assays.
BA.2, which is sometimes known as the "stealth" subvariant, does not have the missing target gene like the original Omicron variant.
As with the other variants, people infected with BA.2 can be detected through a coronavirus self-test kit, although the tool can't show which variant is causing the infection, experts say.
The number of deaths from Covid-19 in Africa could be 3 times higher than official data. As reported by RT, Thursday (10/2/2022), the World Health Organization (WHO) said the number of cases of Covid-19 infection in Africa could even be seven times higher than officially reported.
According to the WHO, surveillance and testing problems have led to underestimation of cases in Africa, where only 11% of the population is fully vaccinated.
Speaking at a news conference on Thursday, WHO Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti warned that problems with surveillance systems and access to testing supplies across the continent had led to underestimation of cases.
Moeti said the actual death toll may be two to three times higher than the data submitted because of similar problems in gathering accurate information from parts of the continent.
Despite concerns about the accuracy of the data provided, WHO Africa regional director is optimistic that the continent is getting smarter, faster and better at responding to each new spike in Covid-19 cases. That situation puts Africa on track to bring the pandemic under control by 2022.