As South Africa awaits a predicted 5th wave attack in May, scientists have discovered two sub lineages of the Omicron Corona Virus variant said, Tulia de Oliveira a South African Scientist who runs gene sequencing institutions in the country.
The sub lineages have been named BA.4 and BA.5, and are said to have not yet caused infectious spikes in South Africa and have been found in samples from a number of countries, namely, Botswana, Belgium, Germany, Denmark and the U.K. In a text message, de Oliveira has said that “given the very low infections, hospitalizations and deaths in
South Africa we are alerted about the continued evolution but not concerned
and that all laboratory science on virus neutralization and vaccines are already underway and we are strengthening genomic surveillance.”
The two lineages have similar mutations on their spike proteins, the part of the virus that helps the virus attach to human cells to the BA.2 sub lineage which appears to be more infectious than the original omicron stain.
The difference that lie between these sublineages are amino acid mutations outside the spike protein.
On Monday April 11, South Africa reported 553 new Corona Virus cases with 5% of tests returning positive.
