A new coronavirus variant called “pirola” is sweeping the United States and is currently being closely monitored by the World Health Organization.
“Pirora,” a combination of the Greek letters Pi and Rho, has more than 30 mutations in its spike protein compared to XBB.1.5, the Omicron variant that was predominant in the U.S., according to Thursday’s bulletin. It is said that there is. ale medicine.
“It’s remarkable that there are so many variants,” said Scott Roberts, MD, an infectious disease expert at Yale University.
Dr Roberts said this is similar to the number of mutations that differ between Delta and Omicron, one of the early strains of coronavirus.
“When Omicron was introduced in the winter of 2021, COVID-19 (new coronavirus infection) “It’s very different from the Delta variant and has evaded immunity from both natural infection and vaccination, which has led to more people being infected,” Dr. Roberts added.
“Another concern is that this strain has infected at least six countries and the cases are not related. This suggests some level of transmission. [international] It’s a community that we haven’t detected. ”
What is BA.2.86?
Maria van Kerkhove, an epidemiologist and head of the WHO’s coronavirus response, said there was very limited information available about the newly discovered strain. But the large number of mutations among them requires close monitoring, she wrote on Twitter.
“Surveillance, Sequencing, and Reporting of Covid-19.” [are] “This is important for tracking known variants and detecting new variants,” she added.
The variant, also called BA.X, was discovered through genetic sequencing, a process in which scientists determine the DNA components of a molecule.
Scientists are alarmed because there are more than 30 mutations in the spike protein, the part of the virus that vaccines aim to disable, and the number of variants is too high.
How many cases are there in the US?
Pyrrha is found in 10 states; According to GISAID dataglobal database.
So far, they have been found in Colorado, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Washington.
The CDC states: statement The country announced on August 23 that it was “unlikely” that current hospitalizations in the country were caused by BA.2.86, but “this assessment may change as further data becomes available.” he added.
Globally, the variant has been detected in Denmark, Sweden, South Africa, Israel, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. independent person Previously reported.
The number of hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 has steadily increased in recent weeks as the United States is feeling the effects of a summer surge in infections.
From September 3 to September 9, the number of people hospitalized due to the virus increased by 7.7% compared to the previous week. data From a program from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
During the same period, the number of deaths increased by 4.5%.
As the summer surge gains momentum, experts are talking more about preventive measures. Dr. Anthony Fauci said in a recent interview with CNN that if the number of infections continues to rise, he wants Americans to wear masks to protect their loved ones.
What can I do to protect myself?
The CDC advises people to protect themselves from the virus because it’s not yet clear “how widespread this variant is,” but as a precaution, people are asked to: .
• Get the COVID-19 vaccine.
• Get tested for coronavirus.
• If you have been infected with COVID-19 and are at high risk of becoming seriously ill, please seek treatment.
• If you wear a mask, make sure you wear a high-quality one that fits snugly over your nose and mouth to allow for ventilation.
•wash hands.
What symptoms do you have?
Symptoms of the new variant include a runny nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing, and sore throat.
What do the experts say?
Christian G. Andersen, an immunologist and infectious disease expert, said this lineage has all the hallmarks of something potentially starting, but added: “Our immune landscape is currently complex. “It is too early to say that this will happen,” he added.
Dr. S. Wesley Long, chief of diagnostic microbiology at Houston Methodist, a flagship hospital in Texas, questions whether BA.2.86 can compete with other virus strains or whether it has any advantage in evading the immune response. He said he didn’t know yet. Due to previous infection or vaccination.
Researchers are currently studying how much protection, if any, immunity from previous Covid infection provides against BA.2.86. new york times. However, research on this topic is still in its early stages, so it’s difficult to say with certainty how past infection affects cases of pylora.
