The newer and most contagious Omicron subvariants, known as BA.4 and BA.5, now make up more than 80 percent of Covid-19 infections in the US, according to data released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The BA.5 subvariant accounted for 65 per cent of new infections in the latest week ending July 9, while BA.4 accounted for 16.3 per cent of new infections, CDC data showed on Tuesday.
BA.5 has become the dominant variant in the US, Xinhua news agency reported.
Confirmed cases contracted by the two subvariants have kept increasing since mid-May, CDC data show.
The two subvariants are more contagious than earlier variants of Omicron, and also appear to evade protection from vaccines and previous infections more easily than most of their predecessors, according to health experts.
"Cases are already rising again in the US, and could rise substantially later this summer or in the fall, when there is a return to offices, schools, and other indoor facilities," Jeffrey Sachs, Professor and Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, told Xinhua in a recent interview.
Experts stressed that current public health tools, including masking indoors, avoiding crowds and getting booster shots, are still very effective against severe illness, hospitalisations and deaths caused by BA.4 and BA.5.
--IANs
int/khz/
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
You’ve hit your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Quarterly Starter
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Access to Exclusive Premium Stories Online
Over 30 behind the paywall stories daily, handpicked by our editors for subscribers


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app