According to the data collected from 86 samples taken from COVID-19 patients in Bulgaria, the BA.5 lineage of the Omicron virus and its sub-variants continues to dominate the country and its several provinces. The National Center for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases (NCIPD) has conducted tests on the samples collected from infected patients.
Every 86 sample collected between September 11 and October 12 in 13 of Bulgaria’s 28 districts showed signs of the Omicron variation or one of its descendants.
The most recent coronavirus wave in the world is mainly generated by the BA.5 progenitor and its subvariants, generally referred to as BA.5.x by NCIPD. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified BA.5, first discovered in South Africa in January 2022, as a variant of concern lineage that is being monitored closely to find a perfect solution as soon as possible.
According to the WHO, a subvariant that demonstrates transmission advantage to other lineages and contains additional amino acid changes known or suspected to confer the observed shift in epidemiology and fitness holds an advantage compared to the circulating variants considered as the variant of concern lineage.
61 samples, or 70.9% of the total sample size, had BA.5.x, compared to 77% of the samples in the batch that the NCIPD had previously sequenced and reported on October 5.
A total of 22 cases of the BE.x and BF.x lineages, which are subvariants of BA.5, as well as one example of each of the BA.4.6.1, BQ.1.1, and BM.1.1 lineages, were found in the remaining samples, which also revealed the presence of other Omicron strain lineages.
Doctors recommended avoiding poorly ventilated and crowded places and keeping a physical distance of 1 metre from others. Washing yours frequently is essential to stay safe from Omicron and its sub-variants. It is crucial to pay prominent attention to immunization. It is advised to get booster shots to enhance immunity.