Everything About Stealth Omicron

As we already worry about Coronavirus, Delta, Beta, and Omicron, here's one more thing to worry about. Stealth Omicron is a sub-strain of the Omicron variant that has become increasingly prevalent in some European countries. A new sub-strain has been observed to be expanding rapidly in recent weeks, which has raised the possibility that it may be highly transmissible and could lead to a much larger wave of covid-19. The 'Stealth Omicron' stain has been detected in more than 40 countries including India, causing many to fear that it could trigger a new wave of infection.
World Health Organization data shows that Omicron variants have three substrains: BA.1, BA.2, and BA.3. BA.1 is the dominant strain in Omicron infections reported throughout the world, while BA.2 is spreading rapidly.

What is the Stealth Omicron?

Three sub-strains of Omicron have been identified by the WHO - BA.1, BA.2, and BA.3. One of the sub-variants is currently being investigated by the UK Health Security Agency. In the UK, the sub-strain is classified as being able to evade even RT-PCR detection, which gives it an advantage over others. 'BA.2' is its technical name as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). In December last year, this new lineage was designated.

Why Should We Worry About Stealth Omicron?

Despite sharing 32 strains with BA.1, a Fortune report revealed that the sub-strain BA.2 may have more than 28 unique mutations. The mutation in BA.1 is the deletion of the "S" or spike gene, so it can be detected on PCR tests, making Omicron detection easy. In contrast, BA.2 does not possess the same mutation and is therefore difficult to detect.

Stealth Omicron Has Invaded the Following Countries:

It is said that the sub-strain BA.2 spreads rapidly and has gained momentum in countries like India that have seen an increase in infections. The BA.1 sub-strain might soon be outpaced by this sub-strain. Analyses suggested that the lineage has grown at a faster rate than Omicron. There have been the most reports of Stealth Omicron or BA.2 in Denmark, followed by India, Britain, Sweden, and Singapore.

A Warning Against False Negatives in India:

In order to address the new sub-variant, the INSACOG has issued a statement saying that Omicron has now reached the Indian community and the spread of 'Stealth Omicron' is likely to give high false negative values. Omicron has now become prevalent in multiple metropolises throughout India, with new cases escalating exponentially. Since BA.2 is the most prevalent genetic lineage in India, S gene dropout-based screening is likely to lead to false negatives," according to the INSACOG.
There are three sub-strains of the Omicron variant according to WHO, BA.1, BA.2, and BA.3. BA.1 is dominant among Omicron infections reported worldwide, however, BA.2 is rapidly spreading