The Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants have become dominant in the United States, the C.D.C. estimates.
Continuing their rapid march across the United States, the Omicron subvariants known as BA.4 and BA.5 together became dominant among new cases of coronavirus, according to new estimates Tuesday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the week ending Saturday, BA.4 accounted for 15.7% of new cases and BA.5 36.6%, or about 52% of new cases in the United States, numbers that experts say are expected to increase in the coming weeks.
The statistics, released Tuesday morning, are based on modeling and may be revised as more data comes in, which happened in late December when the agency's estimates missed the mark.
The posting came the day an expert panel recommended on Tuesday that the Food and D rug Administration on an updated coronavirus vaccine booster shot that targets some form of Omic ron, though the virus could evolve again by fall.
In less than six months since BA.4 and BA.5 were first detected in South Africa, both subvariants appeared in the United States to exceed two earlier Omicron subvariants , including BA.2, which was the dominant version for a while earlier this spring. The other, BA.2.12.1, was dominant on its own as of the week ending June 18, according to the C.D.C. estimates. Over the winter, the form of Omicron that first appeared in the United States caused the number of cases to skyrocket. Before that, the Delta variant had been dominant in the United States since the beginning of the summer.
BA.4 and BA.5 exhibit artist qualities of the escape, able to evade some of the antibodies produced after vaccinations and coronavirus infections, including infections caused by some earlier versions of Omicron. This may explain why these subvariants spread even faster than others in the Omicron family. But there is not yet much evidence that they cause more serious diseases.
BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants have been detected in around the world, and they fueled a surge of cases in South Africa in the spring, despite widespread pre-existing immunity to the virus. The surge was not as high as previous waves from South Africa, and deaths did not rise as sharply. Just last week, South Africa repealed its rules that required masks in indoor public spaces.
In recent weeks, more than 100,000 New coronavirus cases have been reported every day on average in the United States, according to a New York Times database, a figure that captures only part of the true number. Many infections are not counted in official reports.
Continuing their rapid march across the United States, the Omicron subvariants known as BA.4 and BA.5 together became dominant among new cases of coronavirus, according to new estimates Tuesday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the week ending Saturday, BA.4 accounted for 15.7% of new cases and BA.5 36.6%, or about 52% of new cases in the United States, numbers that experts say are expected to increase in the coming weeks.
The statistics, released Tuesday morning, are based on modeling and may be revised as more data comes in, which happened in late December when the agency's estimates missed the mark.
The posting came the day an expert panel recommended on Tuesday that the Food and D rug Administration on an updated coronavirus vaccine booster shot that targets some form of Omic ron, though the virus could evolve again by fall.
In less than six months since BA.4 and BA.5 were first detected in South Africa, both subvariants appeared in the United States to exceed two earlier Omicron subvariants , including BA.2, which was the dominant version for a while earlier this spring. The other, BA.2.12.1, was dominant on its own as of the week ending June 18, according to the C.D.C. estimates. Over the winter, the form of Omicron that first appeared in the United States caused the number of cases to skyrocket. Before that, the Delta variant had been dominant in the United States since the beginning of the summer.
BA.4 and BA.5 exhibit artist qualities of the escape, able to evade some of the antibodies produced after vaccinations and coronavirus infections, including infections caused by some earlier versions of Omicron. This may explain why these subvariants spread even faster than others in the Omicron family. But there is not yet much evidence that they cause more serious diseases.
BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants have been detected in around the world, and they fueled a surge of cases in South Africa in the spring, despite widespread pre-existing immunity to the virus. The surge was not as high as previous waves from South Africa, and deaths did not rise as sharply. Just last week, South Africa repealed its rules that required masks in indoor public spaces.
In recent weeks, more than 100,000 New coronavirus cases have been reported every day on average in the United States, according to a New York Times database, a figure that captures only part of the true number. Many infections are not counted in official reports.
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