WHO ‘monitoring’ new COVID variant detected in three countries

WHO ‘monitoring’ new COVID variant detected in three countries

 The World Health Organisation (WHO) says it is closely
monitoring BA.2.86, a new variant of COVID-19, detected in Israel, Denmark and
the United States.

 

In a bulletin on Thursday, the WHO said is it classifying
the new version of the various as a variant under monitoring (VUM) due to the
large number of spike gene mutations it carries.

 

“On 17 August 2023, WHO designated a new SARS-CoV-2 variant,
that has been assigned the scientific name (Pango- lineage designation) BA.2.86
as a variant under monitoring (VUM) due to the large number (>30) of spike
gene mutations it carries,” the bulletin reads.

 

“Currently, there are only four known sequences of this
variant reported from two countries in the European Region and one country in
the Region of the Americas with no known associated epidemiological
connections.

 

The WHO said the potential impact of the BA.2.86 mutations
is not known at the moment, adding that it is undergoing careful assessment.

 

The organisation said it will continue to call for better
surveillance, sequencing and reporting of COVID-19 as the virus continues to circulate
and evolve.

 

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the US Centers
for Disease Control said it is tracking the lineage of the virus.

 

 “CDC is tracking a
new lineage of the virus that causes COVID-19. This lineage is named BA.2.86,
and has been detected in the United States, Denmark and Israel,” the post
reads.

 

“CDC is gathering more information and will share more about
this lineage as we learn it.”

 

According to the WHO, as of August 13, there were more than
769 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 6.9 million deaths
worldwide.

 

The toll is expected to be higher because many cases went
undetected.

Source: WHO ‘monitoring’ new COVID variant detected in three countries

 - NigerianEye
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