LOS ANGELES — As the latest coronavirus wave fueled by the super-infectious omicron subvariant BA.5 continues to recede, health officials are turning a wary eye to what might come next.
Experts in California are closely tracking two newer subvariants, BA.4.6 and BA.2.75 — themselves members of the omicron family. It isn’t clear whether they will eventually spread to worrisome extents in the state, but there’s reason to pay attention as they’ve caused concern elsewhere in the world.
The most pressing question is whether either can outcompete BA.5, which essentially elbowed out all other coronavirus strains during its stunning rise to dominance this summer. If they can, that could potentially point to another spin in an all-too-familiar cycle, where the emergence of an even-more-infectious strain threatens to trigger a fresh rise in cases.
