WHO cautions Omicron BA.2 subvariant could spread globally, Covid-19 cases surpassed 40 cr

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned that the BA.2 subvariant of Omicron is expected to spread globally after the world surpassed 40 crore known cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday (February 8, 2022).

According to Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's Covid-19 technical director, the BA.2 subvariant, which is considered to be more communicable than the currently dominant BA.1, will likely become more widespread.

"BA.2 is more transmissible than BA.1 so we expect to see BA.2 increasing in detection around the world," During a live-streamed question-and-answer session on WHO's social media platforms, Van Kerkhove remarked.

It's unknown whether it will cause reinfection in people who have already been infected with the initial Omicron strain.

WHO is keeping an eye on the BA.2 subvariant:

The WHO is keeping an eye on BA.2 to see if the subvariant is linked to an increase in new infections in countries where omicron cases spiked and subsequently dropped sharply, she said.

While more research is needed, she claims there is no evidence of a difference in the severity of infections induced by either subvariant.

The Covid-19 vaccinations are still quite effective:

Van Kerkhove also stated that coronavirus vaccines are still very efficient in preventing serious illness and death, however they do not protect against all infections. People should get immunised and use masks indoors, she said.

Over 40 crore Covid-19 cases and 57 lakh deaths have been reported around the world:

Meanwhile, the global Covid-19 case count has reached 40,02,44,031 cases, with 57,61,208 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. With almost 7.7 crore illnesses and more over 9.08 lakh deaths, the United States remains the worst-affected country. Around 19% of global coronavirus cases and more than 15% of global coronavirus deaths are currently attributed to the country.

With nearly 4.2 crore infections, India is second, followed by Brazil with 2.6 crore cases.

It's worth noting that the global caseload surpassed 10 crores on January 26, 2021, increased to 20 crores on August 4, 2021, and surpassed 30 crores on January 6, this year.