Category: Mutation
BA.2 spawns another subvariant – BA.2 + ORF1a:M85 – already at 10% of sequences in Denmark
Yet another fast-growing offshoot of Omicron BA.2 has been reported in Denmark today. More...
Hong Kong: Transmission of Sars-CoV-2 Delta strain from hamsters to humans and onward human propagation of the adapted strain
Two separate transmission events from Syrian hamsters to humans are documented, one leading to onward household spread. More...
Poland: Sars-CoV-2 spillover event from mink that lasted at least three months
We report the spillover of mink-adapted SARS-CoV-2 from farmed mink to humans after adaptation that lasted at least three months. More...
France: new Sars-CoV-2 variant B.1.640.2 with N501Y and E484K detected
Twelve SARS-CoV-2 positive patients living in southeastern France are infected with a variant with atypical mutations. More...
Preprint: Evidence for a mouse origin of the Omicron variant
Pre-outbreak Omicron mutations in the spike protein significantly overlap with mutations in mouse-adapted SARS-CoV-2. More...
Preprint: Omicron now binds to mouse ACE2
“Here, we show that the Omicron RBD binds to human ACE2 with enhanced affinity relative to the Wuhan-Hu-1 RBD and acquires binding to mouse ACE2.” More...
Preprint: Omicron is the product of extensive evolution that has left no obvious traces of intermediate forms
The Omicron variant identified in Southern Africa in late November 2021 is the product of extensive evolution within an infection context that has so far left no obvious traces of intermediate forms since it diverged from the B.1.1 lineage (presumably at some time in mid to late 2020). More...
UKHSA risk assessment for Omicron variant
UK risk assessment for Omicron variant B.1.1.529, dated 3rd December 2021
Transmissibility between humans: Amber – At least as transmissible as currently circulating variants
Omicron is transmitting rapidly and successfully. More...
Omicron variant: first European case of B.1.1.529 found in Belgium via Egypt and Turkey
A woman with coronavirus symptoms after a trip to Egypt with a stopover in Turkey is the first confirmed case in Belgium of a patient infected with the new variant B.1.1.529, known as ‘Omicron’, initially located by the scientific community in the Southern African countries. More...
B.1.1.529 Omicron: Sars-Cov-2 variant with extremely high number of Spike mutations
“Currently only 4 sequences so would recommend monitoring for now. More...