New Omicron variants are spreading: Drosten now classifies them and shares fears

Created: 05/04/2022, 09:45 am

By: Kai Hartwig

Omicron variants are causing a fifth corona wave in South Africa, and a subtype is also rampant in the USA.

Does Europe have to arm itself now?

Virologist Drosten calms down.

Berlin – A new corona wave is currently hitting South Africa.

An official warning has already been issued in the country.

“The fifth wave is here.

Take care of yourselves,” wrote the Center for Innovation and Epidemic Response (CERI) on Twitter on Tuesday (April 26).

Should the fifth wave in South Africa be regarded as a possibly worrying harbinger in Germany and Europe?

Virologist Christian Drosten made a calming statement about the pandemic situation on Twitter, especially with regard to the rampant omicron variants and subtypes.

Corona: According to virologist Drosten, omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5 can bypass the immune system

The scientist stated that "three new variants" are currently being observed in corona monitoring.

On the one hand, there are the Omikron variants BA.4 and BA.5.

According to Drosten, these originate from the "Omicron precursor", i.e. the original virus variant called Omicron, but not from the variants BA.1 and BA.2.

On the other hand, Omikron BA.4 and BA.5 carry a mutation form (L452R), which also occurred in the Delta variant.

In animal experiments on hamsters, said mutation increased virulence (risk of infection).

In addition, bypassing the immune response (immunescape) to defend against the virus was likely.

According to the virologist, another mutation form (F486V) occurring in connection with Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 could also bypass the immune system.

Corona wave in South Africa: Exponential increase in variants Ba.4 and BA.5 since April

With regard to South Africa, Drosten spoke of the fact that “a creeping increase in BA.4 and BA.5 since January” could be identified there.

There has been an “exponential increase” since mid-April.

"The variant probably has an immune escape advantage in a population in which there was no BA.2 wave (as in South Africa)," speculated Drosten: "The now sharp acceleration in the increase in incidence is obviously due to the onset of loss of transmission immunity after the BA.1 wave in December (the latency period fits).” The natural protection against the omicron variants by the immune system is therefore low.

Despite the fifth wave, "fortunately there are still no effects on hospital admissions in South Africa," "but that could happen in the next two weeks," Drosten continued.

According to the member of the Federal Government's Expert Council, BA.4 and BA.5 have already occurred in Europe, "albeit rarely so far".

Corona variant BA.2.12.1 is rampant in the USA and India - without dramatic consequences

The third new variant, which can often be observed in addition to BA.4 and BA.5, is generally known under the collective term BA.2.12.1.

This is currently occurring mainly in the USA, but also in India, for example, said Drosten.

The Robert Koch Institute recently also detected the omicron subtype BA.2.12.1 in Germany.

This is “an increase in BA.2 strains with an additional L452Q mutation (and other mutations in L452),” explained the virologist.

"In the USA there is a strong increase in BA.2.12.1 in the background of the current BA.2 spread, but this occurs with a low overall incidence," wrote Drosten: "For this variant too, one can go to a think virulence increase.”

Despite increasing hospital admissions in the particularly affected regions, "the total number is still reassuringly low," said Drosten.

It is advisable to continue to monitor developments.