Category: Genome

Preprint: Enhanced Fusogenicity of BA.4, BA.5 and BA.2.12.1

“We found that the new Omicron subvariants BA.4/5 and BA.2.12.1 were more resistant to neutralization by mRNA-vaccinated and boosted health care worker sera and Omicron-BA.1-wave patient sera than were the BA.1 and BA.2 variants.”… ...More...

Coronaheadsup.com Asia, Australia, BA.2, BA.2.12.1, BA.4, BA.5, Coronavirus, Europe, Evolution, Genome, Infection, Moderna, Pfizer/Biontech, Testing, Transmission, USA, Vaccine

USA: SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant spillover from human to horse

“A report on a possible direct exposure to SARS-CoV-2 from a COVID-19-positive individual to an adult horse.”

The individual, diagnosed with COVID-19 (Delta B.1.617.2), had daily contact to her two horses prior to and during the development of clinical disease.… ...More...

Coronaheadsup.com Animals, California, Coronavirus, Delta, Genome, Horses, Infection, Reservoir, Testing, Transmission, USA, Zoonosis

UK: 1,880 cases of XE Covid recombinant sequenced

The UKHSA have released a new technical briefing outlining the SARS-CoV-2 variants circulating in Britain. The latest case count for the XE recombinant is 1,880 cases in the UK, with 1,569 of those cases in England.… ...More...

Coronaheadsup.com BA.4, BA.5, Coronavirus, England, Europe, Genome, Health, Infection, London, Northern Ireland, Omicron, PCR, Recombinants, Recombination, Scotland, Testing, Transmission, UK, Wales, XE

France: Persistent Alpha variant infection in immunosuppressed patient in 2022

“We describe persistent circulation of SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant in an immunosuppressed patient in France during February 2022. The virus had a new pattern of mutation accumulation.… ...More...

Coronaheadsup.com Alpha, Coronavirus, Elderly, Europe, Evolution, France, Genome, Health, Healthcare, Hospitalization, Immunocompromised, Infection, Symptoms, Testing, Transmission

South Africa: BA.4 and BA.5 increasing as a proportion of sequenced cases *1 UPDATE*

An increasing share of South Africa’s Covid-19 cases are the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-lineages of the Omicron variant, suggesting those might have a growth advantage over others, Prof Helen Rees said on Thursday.… ...More...

Coronaheadsup.com Africa, BA.4, BA.5, Coronavirus, Deaths, Genome, Health, Healthcare, Hospitalization, Infection, Omicron, Recombination, South Africa, Testing, Transmission