Omicron BA.2 subvariant may spread globally, warns WHO as global Covid-19 cases surpass 40 crore

The BA.2 subvariant, which is said to be more contagious than the currently dominant BA.1 version, will likely become more common, said WHO.

New Delhi: As the world surpassed 40 crore known cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday (February 8, 2022), the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned that the BA.2 subvariant of Omicron is likely to spread globally. 

The BA.2 subvariant, which is said to be more contagious than the currently dominant BA.1 version, will likely become more common, said Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's Covid-19 technical lead.

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