The global health community is on high alert once again, as a new sub-variant of the coronavirus, nicknamed ‘Pirola’ or BA.2.86, has been identified and is causing ripples of concern among scientists and researchers. This variant has already marked its presence in countries including the UK, US, Denmark, and Israel.
What’s the Concern?
The apprehension surrounding this new strain is not unfounded.
- A recent report in Nature magazine highlighted the spike protein factor in BA.2.86, which has become a significant point of discussion among virologists.
- Adam Lauring, a virologist at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, described the situation as having a “déjà vu” feeling.
- His lab has already reported an infection caused by this new strain.
- Lauring emphasized the potential rise in new infections triggered by BA.2.86, attributing it to the variant’s high degree of mutation.
- Alarmingly, the BA.2.86 variant showcases a whopping 34 mutations. Such a high number of mutations have previously been observed in patients exhibiting symptoms of the now-termed ‘long covid’.
- Jesse Bloom, a viral evolutionary biologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, posited that this new variant might have evolved from a chronic infection in a long covid patient.
Global Response
Ashish Jha, the former White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator, is among the prominent voices expressing concern over the emergence of this sub-variant.
- He believes there’s “enough” evidence for the global health community to pay close attention to this variant.
- A particularly unsettling detail is the lack of any geographical connection between the known cases.
- The absence of a travel history in the infected individuals suggests the possibility of local community transmission.
- Scientists are now delving deep, from analyzing patient samples to studying wastewater reports, in an attempt to gauge the spread of the Pirola sub-variant.
What Lies Ahead?
The pressing question on everyone’s mind is:
Can this new variant disrupt global stability?
While the situation is evolving, scientists maintain a cautiously optimistic tone. Many believe that immunity resulting from previous Omicron infections might offer some protection against this new strain.
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