The World Health Organisation has said that it is continuing to monitor “several descendent lineages” of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, including two new sublineages that have additional mutations associated with potential "immune escape characteristics.” The COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update, released by WHO on Tuesday, said that the Omicron variant remains the dominant variant circulating globally.
WHO said it continues to monitor several descendent lineages under the Omicron Variant of Concern, including BA.1, BA.2, BA.3 as well as now BA.4 and BA.5. It also includes BA.1/BA.2 circulating recombinant forms, such as XE.
“A small number of sequences of BA.4 and BA.5 descendent lineages have now been detected in a few countries. Both have additional mutations in the Spike region (S:L452R, S:F486V) and unique mutations outside of Spike. The S:L452R and S:F486V mutations are associated with potential immune escape characteristics," the global health organisation said.
