Emerging Highly Mutated COVID-19 Variant Spurs Global Concerns

New Strain with Extensive Mutations Discovered Across Three Continents

In the midst of the rampant spread of the COVID-19 variant known as "Eris" across countries like the United States and China, another variant with significant mutations has emerged, intensifying concerns among health authorities worldwide.

Experts are closely watching the BA.2.86 subvariant, a descendant of the Omicron virus, which has been detected in succession in countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Israel. The variant emerged from the BA.2 sublineage of the Omicron virus and has exhibited mutations at 36 different locations.

The surge in mutations raises the possibility of reduced effectiveness of existing vaccines. Consequently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has included this variant in its monitoring list, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has initiated tracking efforts.

Analyzing data from the global genome sequence database 'GISAID,' it's revealed that this subvariant was first identified in Denmark on the 24th of the previous month. Subsequently, confirmations came from Denmark and Israel on the 31st, and earlier this month, from the state of Michigan in the United States.

A spokesperson from the U.S. CDC stated, "Scientists are conducting research to understand the newly identified viral lineage accurately," adding, "Based on the evidence available so far, we do not yet know if this variant poses a greater risk to public health than existing variants."

While confirmed cases from laboratory studies might not be numerous, the fact that it has been identified on three continents raises concerns among experts. They worry that the variant could possess heightened transmissibility and might be prevalent due to existing infection cases, as reported by ABC News. Dr. John Brownstein, an infectious disease expert at Boston Children's Hospital, highlighted, "The concern for scientists is that the variant is present on three continents and has accumulated many mutations." He added, "This could indicate an ability to evade immune responses established through measures like vaccination, though the extent of this ability remains unknown."

Dr. Wesley Long, a diagnostic microbiologist at Houston Methodist Hospital, explained that the subvariant BA.2.86, which emerged in the early stages of COVID-19 spread, differs significantly from the strains targeted by currently used vaccines. Dr. Eric Topol, a genomics expert at the Scripps Research Institute, also pointed out the fundamental differences in the structure of this subvariant from other strains. He cautioned that the situation is unfavorable, particularly considering many countries are reducing COVID-19 testing.

Amidst the rising hospitalizations in the U.S. due to the rapid spread of the EG.5 subvariant (also known as Eris), the emergence of BA.2.86 has heightened concerns among health authorities. The EG.5 variant was first identified in November of the previous year and has been confirmed in over 50 countries, including the United States, until the 8th of this month. As a result of its spread, hospitalizations have surged again, with the U.S. CDC reporting a 14.3% increase in hospitalizations in the first week of August compared to the previous week, totaling 13,320 patients. This represents an over 40% increase from June, when hospitalizations were at their lowest. China's National Health Commission noted that the EG.5 variant's share of total COVID-19 infections was merely 0.6% in April but has recently surged to 71.6%, according to Xinhua News Agency.