An extra-contagious version of the coronavirus has taken over the world.
FILE - Residents get their throat swab at a coronavirus testing site near residential buildings, Wednesday, April 6, 2022, in Beijing. An extra-contagious version of the omicron coronavirus variant has taken over the world. The variant scientists call BA.2 is now dominant in at least 68 countries, including the U.S. The World Health Organization says it makes up about 94% of sequenced omicron cases submitted in the most recent week to an international database.
The World Health Organization says it makes up about 94% of sequenced omicron cases submitted to an international coronavirus database in the most recent week. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it was responsible for 72% of new U.S. infections last week. One reason BA.2 has gained ground, scientists say, is that it’s about 30% more contagious than the original omicron. In rare cases, research shows it can sicken people even if they’ve already had an omicron infection — although it doesn’t seem to cause more severe disease.
“We’re entering a phase where increasing cases or waves may be very regional and it may depend a lot on vaccination levels in the community — and not just vaccination levels but timing of the vaccinations,” Long said. “How long ago were they? Did people get boosters? Because we know the immunity to the vaccine wanes a little bit over time.”Long said he feels “very certain” that cases will eventually go back up in the U.S., whether that's because of BA.2 or some future variant. “If it’s BA.
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