Covid-19 virus continues to evolve, new variants will emerge, warns WHO

According to WHO, the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to evolve. With such intense transmission worldwide, further variants, including recombinants, will emerge. “This is expected."

United Nations: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that the Covid-19 virus continues to evolve, and its new variants will emerge in the days to come. The Covid-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update, released by WHO on Tuesday, said that the Omicron variant remains the dominant variant circulating globally.

The top health body said that it is continuing to monitor ‘several descendent lineages’ of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, including two new sublineages that have additional mutations associated with potential "immune escape characteristics.

The WHO said it continues to monitor several descendent lineages under the Omicron Variant of Concern, including BA.1, BA.2, BA.3 as well as now BA.4 and BA.5. It also includes BA.1/BA.2 circulating recombinant forms, such as XE.

“A small number of sequences of BA.4 and BA.5 descendent lineages have now been detected in a few countries. Both have additional mutations in the Spike region (S:L452R, S:F486V) and unique mutations outside of Spike. The S:L452R and S:F486V mutations are associated with potential immune escape characteristics," the global health organisation said.

It added that it is working with scientists to further assess the characteristics of these lineages and their public health implications. “WHO recommends countries to continue surveillance, where possible, and rapid data sharing on publicly available databases.”