Covid 'Stealth Omicron' sub-variant - what we know as strain found in Scotland

02.02.2022 - 17:15 / dailyrecord.co.uk

Nicola Sturgeon yesterday confirmed that a sub-variant of Omicron has been found to be in circulation in Scotland.

BA.2, which is also known as Stealth Omicron, was discovered through additional studies into Covid tests in Scots labs.

Studies are being carried out on the Covid strain, which has been identified as a ‘variant under investigation’.

The First Minister told Scots that there is so far ‘no cause for any alarm’ but the variant ‘warrants further study’.

Here is what we know about BA.2 so far.

Stealth Omicron, which is known as BA.2, a sub-type of the Omicron strain first identified towards the end of 2021.

The variant has been designated as a ‘variant under investigation’ by the World Health Organisation and UK health officials.

BA.2 has replaced the original Omicron strain, BA.1, in as the dominant variant in a number of countries - including the Philippines, Nepal, Qatar, India and Denmark, where it was first discovered.

Unlike the original Omicron strain, the S-gene - which has been a scientific marker of BA.1 infection - has been found in BA.2.

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Nicola Sturgeon yesterday confirmed that 26 cases of BA.2 have been found through genomic sequencing in Scotland - but this is likely to be an underestimate.

The First