The Omicron BA.2 Covid-19 sub-variant has now spread to five countries on the African continent. Scientists also found this variant has dominated Covid-19 cases in several countries. Reported by Reuters, World Health Organization (WHO) scientist Nicksy Gumede-Moeletsi is concerned about the development of Covid-19 due to the Omicron BA.2 variant. The reason is, this sub-variant is difficult to find as a form of Omicron variant.
"BA.2 has been found in five countries, namely Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Senegal and also South Africa. We are very worried," said Gumede-Moeletsi. Gumede-Moeletsi said BA.2 is difficult to detect because this sub-variant cannot always be detected by the S-Gene Target Failure criteria.
These criteria are used to distinguish the original Omicron variant or BA.1 from other variants.
One of the BA.1 criteria is that this sub-variant is missing one of the three genes normally found in PCR assays. However, BA.2 does not have a missing gene like BA.1.
Reporting from the BBC, the Omicron sub-variant has been detected in 57 countries. The BA.2 sub-variant has become the dominant cause of Covid-19 cases in several provinces in India and is predicted to be the driver of the third wave. The BA.2 sub-variant has now become the main cause of Covid-19 cases in several countries, such as Denmark.,
The Philippine Department of Health announced that BA.2 had been found in Covid-19 test samples received at the end of January 2022. A subject study of 8,500 households and 18,000 people conducted by Denmark's Statens Serum Institute (SSI) found that BA.2 was more infectious than BA. .1.
In addition, the study showed BA.2 was more adept at avoiding the effects of vaccination. Similar to other variants, people infected with BA.2 can be detected through the corona virus self-test kit.
However, the chances of contracting people who have been vaccinated are still smaller than those who have not been vaccinated. People who are not vaccinated also have a greater potential for spreading BA.2.
Although more infectious, there is no evidence that BA.2 is more dangerous than other Omicron sub-variants.