Omicron BA.2 spreading fast, expected to become main variant
Omicron has “conquered” Thailand, with the BA.2 subvariant likely to become the main variant in a couple of months as it is spreading faster than BA.1, the Department of Medical Sciences reported on Tuesday.
Department director-general Suphakit Sirilak said the number of Covid patients has increased “a lot quite fast” after the Omicron variant had spread.
Naturally, the virus has a chance to mutate if there are a lot of “reinfections”, he said.
Previously, the B.1.1.529 or BA.1 subvariant was the main variant in many countries, but 57 nations including Thailand have found the BA.2 subvariant at the beginning of 2022. This subvariant has become the main variant in a number of countries, including India, Denmark and Sweden.
According to a study in Denmark, BA.2 spreads more easily than the BA.1 subvariant. However, it is not more severe than the basic Omicron variant, according to current information.
The study said a booster dose could prevent sickness and severe symptoms.
Suphakit confirmed Thailand could test for both subvariants. In the past week, 567 patients were randomly tested, with 105 or 18.5 per cent showing they had BA.2, while 462 or 81.5 per cent had BA.1.
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He concluded that Omicron has almost completely replaced Delta.
Suphakit also said GISAID had asked him to monitor information pertaining to Deltacron.
He reported that 97.2 per cent of patients were infected with the Omicron variant, while only 2.8 per had Delta. Some 99 per cent of international patients were meanwhile infected with Omicron.
The top 10 provinces with the most Omicron patients are Bangkok, Phuket, Chonburi, Roi Et, Samut Prakan, Nong Khai, Surat Thani, Maha Sarakham, Kalasin and Khon Kaen.