UN News: COVID-19: Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants, not more severe or transmissible, so far

Two new Omicron sub-lineages called BA.5 and BA.4 have been discovered in South Africa and some parts of Europe. There now have been 4 omicron sub-variants BA.2, XE (combination of BA.2 and BA.1), and the two new ones. Currently, there is no indication that the BA.5, BA.4, and XE sub-variants are any more transmissible or severe than Omicron BA.1 and BA.2. WHO’s director of emergencies, Michael Ryan, urges that despite the low cases worldwide it would be shortsighted to no longer study and fight the virus as COVID-19 has shown to be unpredictable. The full article can be read here on UN News. For more on COVID-19 click here.