The Genome Center summarizes the situation of the latest epidemic: “Omicron BA.2.87.1.” Why is this worrying?
Medical Genome Center, Ramathibodi Hospital, posted on its Facebook page. Center for Medical Genomics The latest Omicron BA.2.87.1 outbreak situation summary was compiled by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC), the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC), by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Center for Disease Control and Prevention, People’s Republic of China (China CDC), and World Health Organization (WHO)
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or “US CDC”
It was reported on February 9, 2024 that it is currently monitoring a new mutant strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus called Omicron BA.2.87.1, with data updated weekly. The public health risk has been found to be low in the United States.
The US CDC analyzed the genetic code BA.2.87.1 found in nine patients in the Republic of South Africa. Isolated from a swab sample collected from September to December 2023 and shared in the Global COVID-19 Database (GISAID), no known cases of BA.2.87.1 have been identified in the United States or elsewhere outside of South Africa.
The US CDC is randomly deciphering the genetics of COVID-19. from COVID-19 patients within the country and from wastewater in large communities across the country. Including international travelers from around the world traveling to the United States. From the facts, BA.2.87.1 was found from COVID-19 patients. Only nine cases in South Africa since September 2023 demonstrate that BA.2.87.1 is not very transmissible. At least until now
The US CDC is closely monitoring the BA.2.87.1 Omicron subtype because the viral spike has more than 30 changes compared to the XBB.1.5 Omicron strain, which is used as a prototype or precursor for vaccines. The US Food and Drug Administration specifies that it will be used between 2023 and 2024. Theoretically, the virus has mutated very differently than the strain used as a prototype vaccine. This could raise the possibility that Omicron BA.2.87.1 will be able to evade or escape the immunity induced by the Omicron XBB.1.5 prototype vaccine.
In recent years, many subspecies of omicron have been found. which has several changes in proteins in the spines But the immunity obtained from vaccination and previous natural infections still provides us with good protection. Prevent severe COVID-19 disease.
It is not yet clear how well existing immunity will protect against BA.2.87.1, however, the immune systems of most of the world’s population have now experienced COVID-19 infection. And after receiving various types of vaccinations for almost 5 years, it was found that our overall immunity can protect against COVID-19. There are many races that have continually mutated to some extent.
Data from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases Surveillance Network of the Republic of South Africa.
No increasing trend in Omicron BA.2.87.1 infection was found in South Africa.
No COVID-19 patients found Increased in recent weeks. Reporting of COVID-19 patients from the World Health Organization (WHO) in this region remains at a low level There are no reports from South Africa (sent to the World Health Organization) on hospital admissions and deaths from COVID-19 19 in South Africa.
Effects on vaccines drug treatment and laboratory test kits
It is too early to know how well the current vaccines against BA.2.87.1 will work, but recent experience with Omicron JN.1 shows that the vaccine protects against COVID-19. Recently manufactured using Omicron
Furthermore, it can be evaluated whether treatment with anti-COVID-19 drugs AND detection of Omicron BA.2.87.1 infection by swab with ATK and PCR laboratory test kits will still be as effective as before. It is based on the results of an analysis conducted by the “SARS-CoV-2 Interagency Group”, a group of scientific experts from several US government agencies.
The US CDC assesses the current situation of the Omicron BA.2.87.1 outbreak as follows:
- The US CDC will closely monitor this BA.2.87.1. Because this virus subtype has more than 30 changes to its spike protein compared to omicron XBB.1.5, it is more likely to escape immunity induced by vaccination and prior natural infection.
- The detection of BA.2.87.1 cases in three South African provinces over three months suggests that this omicron BA.2.87.1 can spread from person to person. which is different from other races. There have also been many mutations. But no outbreak has been found among people.
- However, not much BA.2.87.1 has been detected since the first samples were found in September. This indicates that BA.2.87.1 has not managed to spread very well so far.
- The experience with BA.2.86, first discovered in Denmark and Israel, was followed by discoveries in the United States and the United Kingdom. This shows that the virus’s ability to spread is relatively slow. But from a single mutation in “L455S” in the backbone of BA.2.86, it became the subspecies Omicron JN.1 which has the ability to spread rapidly and become the major strain spread throughout the world.
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
ECDC has divided COVID-19 strains into 3 tiers, similar to the World Health Organization.
- Variants of Concern: Variants of Concern (VOCs)
- Variants of Interest (VOI) e
- Variants under monitoring: Variants under monitoring (VUM)
In the week of 19 January 2024 to 2 February 2024, ECDC classified BA.2.87.1 as VUM because an evaluation of the genetic code of BA.2.87.1 found a relative growth advantage, approximately 1.05 times greater than other strains are currently spreading around the world, i.e. 5%, and the spread has been found from South Africa to Italy. Therefore, the BA.2.87.1 mutation should be monitored: “If it occurs,” it may be able to spread and compete with Omicron JN.1.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the People’s Republic of China (China CDC)
The Chinese CDC announced that a person infected with COVID-19 was found in January 2024. Most of which are Omicron JN.1, only 134 cases nationwide. Omicron BA.2.87.1 has not yet been found in China, where the number of infected people is lower than in local sources, such as Jiangsu province, a province located on the east coast of China, where up to 5,000 people have been infected . COVID-19 Day
World Health Organization (WHO)
Although the WHO announced the end of the COVID public health emergency in May 2023, the WHO emphasized that the pandemic is not over, but is just entering the endemic phase.
COVID-19 has transitioned from a global pandemic to an endemic state, characterized by the virus’ continued emergence in a more stable and predictable manner. Similar to seasonal flu The virus tends to enter a seasonal rhythm. It is more prevalent during the colder months in northern regions. and will decrease in summer.
A shift towards endemic disease is expected. This is because most people in the world have broad immunity from vaccination. and previous natural infection Despite the disease COVID-19 It still has a significant impact. But the hope is progress in vaccines and new treatment options. It will help us reach a state of virus spread where we can control it and not spread it out of control.
For the past four years, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, currently Director of the Department of Epidemiology Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention WHO said that it has entered the fifth year of the COVID-19 pandemic. that many people want to ignore Even though it has had a permanent impact on the lives of people around the world. Although news about COVID-19 will not appear every day in newspapers, on television, on the radio and online as in the past. But it remains a global health threat that must be addressed.
Clear evidence from measurement “The amount of COVID-19 virus in wastewater containing the SARS-CoV-2 virus is 2 to 20 times higher than data reported by governments in many countries,” indicating an epidemic of the 2019 coronavirus , still in progress. It highlights the importance of remaining vigilant and proactive in addressing the global health risks posed by COVID-19. Even if public and government interest is waning.
We do not know everything about this virus, even though the epidemic has existed for almost five years, genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2, both of sick people and wastewater from community areas, and research in various fields are still needed. important to continue to answer many questions.
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