Covid-19: New BA.2.86 Variant With 30 Mutations Leads To Rapid Reaction From CDC, WHO

A newly identified COVID-19 variant has over 30 mutations, prompting immediate attention from health agencies.

The World Health Organization (WHO) upgraded BA.2.86 to a “variant under monitoring," citing the "large number of mutations it carries."

So far, only a few sequences of the variant have been reported from a handful of countries, the WHO said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it's also tracking the new strain.

The WHO says a "variant under monitoring" has genetic changes that could affect characteristics like transmissibility but that "limited evidence makes its impact unclear."

Currently, a new Omicron subvariant known as Eris, whose official name is EG.5, is accounting for most COVID cases nationwide, just ahead of the XBB.1.16 strain known as Arcturus, according to estimates by the CDC.

Check back to Daily Voice for updates.

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