Omicron variant BA2 –NBC New York driving 84% of area cases

So-called “Stealth” Omicron variant BA.2 has spurred an increase in new COVID cases locally, domestically, and abroad, but currently accounts for 84% of the viruses prevalent in the New York area, significantly higher than its national share. High and has increased significantly last week. To the new CDC data released on Tuesday.

For the New York region, which includes New Jersey, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the Empire State for CDC purposes, that 84% number has increased from 71% last week. 52% of the previous week. According to experts, this represents only positive COVID samples that have been sequenced to isolate the mutant, and the actual prevalence is likely to be quite high.

For example, in New York, we sequenced about 3% of all positive samples submitted to the lab during the pandemic process. CDC data shows.. This is lower than the share of the state with the highest volume of pandemics overall, such as California (5.18%), but higher than Florida (2.37%).

CDC

In New York City, 14% of all positive samples are genomically sequenced from the latest weekly data, which continues to rise. Cumulatively sequenced numbers are not clear from the city’s health department data page.

The state also significantly stepped up its variant monitoring efforts before the start of the Omicron wave at the end of last year. Breakthrough case rates in New York have risen in recent weeks, but it’s not clear what (or what) is responsible.

This increase may reflect a decrease in vaccine efficacy in people who have not yet been boosted or due to other causes. Most importantly, the efficacy rate of age-adjusted vaccines for new hospitalizations has not changed in a statistically significant way.

Laboratory-confirmed new cases and new hospitalizations with COVID-19 between fully vaccinated and unvaccinated adults, and estimated vaccine efficacy over 18 years of age.

NYS

Nationally, less than half of the nearly 80 million COVID cases in the United States to date have been genomically sequenced and made publicly available, CDC data may reflect a thorough process involved in the work. It shows that the sex is high.

As of Tuesday’s update, BA.2 is 72.2% of all nationally positive COVID samples genomically sequenced during the latest two-week data period. Increased from 55% of previous weekly updates to the CDC From 35% before that.

BA.2 is said to be inherently more contagious than the original Omicron strain- Probably the most contagious virus to date, according to WHO officials. -However, it is scientifically unrelated to more severe cases and has not been proven to be highly vaccine resistant to this point. This is tricky, but there are no warnings, experts say.

As new subvariants of COVID unfold, Dr. Ayman El-Mohandes, Dean, Pediatrician and longtime scholar at the City University of New York School of Public Health and Health Policy, answers all important questions. Hear from him about the possibility of a second booster, masking, and virus surge associated with BA.2.

By the way, the reported symptoms are often very mild. For example, we do not otherwise place people, as is the common symptom of a harmless cold. However, in the case of BA.2, a positive test can last for several days and is enthusiastically reasserting urban and national issues in a pandemic recovery effort.

The New York City Department of Health has not yet separated BA.2 from the original strain on its variant tracker page, and as of Tuesday, the Department of Health said that Omicron accounted for 100% of the cases tested. The data shows. Authorities recognize subvariants The text states, “Omicron is still the predominant mutant in New York, and its BA.2 submutant has a modest but increasing number of cases in New York.”

In particular, this strain’s dominance occurs when New York City is testing the highest mutant strains ever, isolating the strain in about 14% of positive samples each week. This is up from 12% last week, the highest average to date this year, and reflects an increasing trend in overall testing, health sector data show.

NYC Health Department

On the other hand, the average daily number of cases in the five provinces is 39% higher than the moving average for the past four weeks, but the raw number reflects only a total increase of 391 cases. Hospitalizations and deaths from COVID are on the decline.

These rolling indicators are 39% and 50% lower than the average for the last four weeks, and hospitalization and mortality are known to be the cause of delays, but authorities say the surge in new serious cases I don’t expect it.

Why not? Well, the highs in the latest cases are well below the highs just two months ago. The city’s rolling case average of 1,391 positives is up from 1,143 positives last week, but down 75% from the 5,503 average reported on January 26.

Manhattan The best send jump in the last few weeksBattery Park City leads the list of top neighborhoods in terms of positive rolling percentages, and in that respect the autonomous region occupies 80% of the top 10.

Again, the raw data gives a more complete picture. Currently, Battery Park City’s zip code, which has the highest rolling positive rate in the city, is an increase of 24 cases.

NYC rolling percentage positive by zip code

NYC Health Department

Ultimately, officials say BA.2 is expected to dominate and other COVID variants are expected to change as well. It does not necessarily exacerbate the risk of the community. In the city The alert level is still “low”. It never goes down.

Nationally, based on the recently debuted community-level threat tracker, the CDC considers 17 of the more than 3,200 counties in the United States to be “high” risk. Almost 95% of US counties, including all five of New York City and the entire neighboring New Jersey and Connecticut states, are also considered low risk.

CDC