BA.5 here, but no major threat yet

NEW DELHI: The first of BA.5 variant infections were recorded in the national capital, people aware of the matter said on Monday. A sublineage of the Omicron variant, which swept across the world, including India, at the beginning of this year, BA.5 has triggered some concerns for its key trait of being significantly more resistant than past ancestral lineages.

This configuration of the virus appears to be displacing others of the Omicron variant. Anytime a variant does that, it can mean either of two things — the virus is more infective, or it is more resistant to immunity from a past infection or vaccination. In BA.5’S case, the suspicion is on the latter.

Epidemiologically, BA.5 first sparked a resurgence in infections in South Africa and Portugal. South Africa was ground zero for the first Omicron wave in November 2021 and the coronavirus has since evolved significantly further from that variant too.

Even then, however, South Africa’s hospitalisation rates in the BA.5 were significantly lower than what was recorded last year, which itself was lower than what was seen during past outbreaks, such as those triggered by the Delta variant.

Doctors in India too said that the variant appears to be causing illness similar to what other Omicron lineages have been doing — that is, infections have been symptomatic but without severe outcomes, although the spread has been rapid.

Biologically, BA.5, along with its sister lineage BA.4, has two particular mutations in its receptor binding domain (RBD) — L452R and F486V. These two are loosely being implicated in the uniquely resistant trait that BA.4 and BA.5 seem to demonstrate.

Scientists are carrying out biological studies to see if there is more reason to worry — a question that will particularly look at how, if at all, it binds to cells in the lungs, where the Sars-cov-2 can cause most damage.

According to sequences submitted by Indian labs to the global GISAID repository, 120 samples have tested positive for BA.5 since May 1, the first time the variant was detected in the country. The highest number of the samples were collected from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, both of which recorded 43 positive samples each. Telangana has detected 21, Maharashtra 11 and Gujarat one.

These figures, to be sure, are as likely to be reflective of actual prevalence as they are of prompt sequencing and sampling.

Both Tamil Nadu and Kerala have recorded a spurt in infections in the last two weeks, but the hospital admission rates have not shown any concerning rise.

Like with all variants, those without a past infection and vaccination have the lowest baseline immunity, and are therefore at the highest risk. But some studies have also shown that those with a past BA.2 infection are likely to have a slightly greater protection than those with the BA.1 variant infection.

As far as alternatives are concerned, officials said vendors are free to choose anything that is non-plastic or made of biodegradable/compostable plastics.

CUTLERY:

Paper or plant-based or those made of biodegradable plastic

and/or

fine for every day