Omicron subvariant BA.2 raises new questions about puzzling evolution of virus behind COVID-19 – CBC
Denmark reporting surge of BA.2 infections, Canada seeing slight uptick in early data
Jan 26, 2022
Unlocking the mysteries behind Omicron’s unique set of mutations will be key to understanding how this virus evolves and spreads — particularly as a tougher-to-detect subvariant is taking off in various countries, threatening to prolong this wave of infections.
The subvariant is known as BA.2 in the classification system used to catalogue the evolution of SARS-CoV-2, and it’s just one of a handful of Omicron subvariants featuring different mutations, which also includes the original lineage, as well as BA.1, BA.1.1, and BA.3.
BA.2 drew the close attention of virologists once it started to tick upward in multiple countries, including early signals of a slight rise here in Canada, suggesting it may be even more transmissible than its predecessor.
“There is a competition,” said Nathalie Grandvaux, a researcher and professor in the department of biochemistry and molecular medicine at the Université de Montréal. “It looks a bit like Delta versus Alpha … does that mean we will have another wave? It’s not something we can say for now.”
