Although a fourth wave of COVID-19 had been predicted in the last week of May or first week of June, the situation so far has been good in Karnataka. The latest genome sequencing data of SARS-CoV-2 in the State has not shown emergence of any new variants and the dominant variant of concern (VoC) continues to be Omicron BA.2 till May end.
According to genome sequencing data from the State Health Department, the presence of Omicron BA.2 that was detected in 87% of the sequenced samples in the first week of February has increased to 96.5% in May end.
Of the 1,647 samples sequenced in May, a total of 1,645 were Omicron infected. This included 1,587 (96.5%) samples infected with Omicron BA.2 and 58 that were infected with Omicron B.1.1.529. Only two samples had Delta and its sub-lineages.
