Prevalence of COVID-19 Variant BA.2.86 Rising in the United States

Follow Drugslib on

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.

By Physician’s Briefing Staff HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Nov. 28, 2023 -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning of a highly mutated COVID-19 variant, the prevalence of which has tripled in the past two weeks. Now, nearly one in 10 new COVID-19 cases are fueled by the BA.2.86 variant.

The variant is spreading the fastest in the Northeast: Just over 13 percent of cases in the New York and New Jersey region have been attributed to BA.2.86. Scientists first warned of the highly mutated variant back in August, but it has since spread in several regions of the United States.

Until now, the vast majority of new COVID-19 cases have been blamed on the XBB variant and several of its descendants, including the HV.1 and EG.5 variants. But that may change. The CDC estimates carry wide margins of error around the prevalence of BA.2.86, but the latest estimate is triple what it was on Nov. 11, the data showed.

So far, preliminary data on the variant suggest it does not trigger more severe illness than previous variants, the World Health Organization said in a recent risk evaluation, but the international agency still noted a recent and "substantial rise" in BA.2.86 cases.

The CDC also noted that the BA.2.86 variant poses a "low" public health risk. But the agency data released Monday did show that emergency department visits linked to COVID-19 have begun to climb nationwide.

One particular descendant of BA.2.86 might be driving the increase, experts say. In recent weeks, scientists have been studying a steep increase in a BA.2.86 descendant called JN.1, which has become the fastest-growing subvariant worldwide.

More Information

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

Source: HealthDay

Posted : 2023-11-29 08:33

Read more

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Popular Keywords