DeepL translation: “Just a month and a half ago, the first case of the corona variant omicron was found in Denmark.
The variant is now the dominant one in the community, but is milder than the delta variant, which accounted for the majority of cases in the past.
Already, however, a sub-variant of omicron is growing in Denmark, and it is puzzling researchers at the National Serum Institute (SSI).
Anders Fomsgaard, senior physician and professor at SSI, explains.
The sub-variant is tentatively referred to as BA2. The dominant and known variant of omicron – the one that has taken over the epidemic in Denmark and the rest of the world – is referred to as BA1.
“Denmark is the country in the world with the most cases (of omicron, ed.), and we see a bit interesting that the number of BA2 subvariants is increasing – almost at the expense of BA1,” says Anders Fomsgaard.
In week 50, BA2 accounted for just two percent of the samples analysed for corona variants. That figure has now risen to 28 percent in week 1.
At the same time, the proportion of BA1 cases has fallen from 72 to 68 percent. The delta variant accounts for the remaining four percent.
That the omicron subvariant is starting to catch up with the known omicron variant is what surprises Anders Fomsgaard.
Because it doesn’t seem to behave differently, for example by being more infectious or resistant to vaccines, it’s not a cause for concern.
“We don’t yet see any significant differences in those infected with BA2 in terms of age, vaccine status, breakthrough infections, disease or geographical spread. So apparently there is nothing yet to say that one should behave differently from the other.”
“So we need an explanation,” he says.
The two subvariants differ by having “significant differences” in what is called the spike protein.
On its own, it’s no wonder that omicron mutates. But when the mutation occurs in the spike protein, warning lights can flash.
“When we see where the differences are in spike, that’s where it binds with the receptor. It’s often where antibodies also bind. So we’re looking in trials to see if BA2 is more resistant (to vaccines, ed.) than BA1. But that’s not something we’re currently seeing out in the community,” says Anders Fomsgaard.
Corona vaccines in Denmark work by teaching the body’s immune system to recognise the spike protein. Therefore, a mutational change in the spike protein can mean that the variant may be more infectious or resistant to vaccines.
The SSI is currently carrying out a risk assessment of BA2. But Anders Fomsgaard points out that there are relatively few figures to base this on at the moment, as it is a new observation.
He goes on to say that the variant has also been seen in Sweden and Norway. In addition, SSI has drawn the attention of the World Health Organisation, WHO, to how BA2 differs from BA1.
The Israeli media Jerusalem Post reported on Thursday that around 20 cases of BA2 have also been found in Israel.
[deleted]
The more it spreads, the more it mutates. New variants occurred in places with large outbreaks or a large number of immunocompromised.
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DeepL translation: “Just a month and a half ago, the first case of the corona variant omicron was found in Denmark.
The variant is now the dominant one in the community, but is milder than the delta variant, which accounted for the majority of cases in the past.
Already, however, a sub-variant of omicron is growing in Denmark, and it is puzzling researchers at the National Serum Institute (SSI).
Anders Fomsgaard, senior physician and professor at SSI, explains.
The sub-variant is tentatively referred to as BA2. The dominant and known variant of omicron – the one that has taken over the epidemic in Denmark and the rest of the world – is referred to as BA1.
“Denmark is the country in the world with the most cases (of omicron, ed.), and we see a bit interesting that the number of BA2 subvariants is increasing – almost at the expense of BA1,” says Anders Fomsgaard.
In week 50, BA2 accounted for just two percent of the samples analysed for corona variants. That figure has now risen to 28 percent in week 1.
At the same time, the proportion of BA1 cases has fallen from 72 to 68 percent. The delta variant accounts for the remaining four percent.
That the omicron subvariant is starting to catch up with the known omicron variant is what surprises Anders Fomsgaard.
Because it doesn’t seem to behave differently, for example by being more infectious or resistant to vaccines, it’s not a cause for concern.
“We don’t yet see any significant differences in those infected with BA2 in terms of age, vaccine status, breakthrough infections, disease or geographical spread. So apparently there is nothing yet to say that one should behave differently from the other.”
“So we need an explanation,” he says.
The two subvariants differ by having “significant differences” in what is called the spike protein.
On its own, it’s no wonder that omicron mutates. But when the mutation occurs in the spike protein, warning lights can flash.
“When we see where the differences are in spike, that’s where it binds with the receptor. It’s often where antibodies also bind. So we’re looking in trials to see if BA2 is more resistant (to vaccines, ed.) than BA1. But that’s not something we’re currently seeing out in the community,” says Anders Fomsgaard.
Corona vaccines in Denmark work by teaching the body’s immune system to recognise the spike protein. Therefore, a mutational change in the spike protein can mean that the variant may be more infectious or resistant to vaccines.
The SSI is currently carrying out a risk assessment of BA2. But Anders Fomsgaard points out that there are relatively few figures to base this on at the moment, as it is a new observation.
He goes on to say that the variant has also been seen in Sweden and Norway. In addition, SSI has drawn the attention of the World Health Organisation, WHO, to how BA2 differs from BA1.
The Israeli media Jerusalem Post reported on Thursday that around 20 cases of BA2 have also been found in Israel.
[deleted]
The more it spreads, the more it mutates. New variants occurred in places with large outbreaks or a large number of immunocompromised.