NEW YORK, Nov 28, (Agencies): Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) reclassified the Omicron BA.2.86 variant, along with its derivatives such as JN.1, as a variant of interest. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that the Omicron BA.2.86 variant now constitutes approximately 9% of circulating viruses.

The WHO's Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Evolution initially labeled the highly mutated BA.2.86 subvariant as a variant under monitoring in mid-August. By the end of October and early November, global sequences showed that BA.2.86 and its related viruses accounted for 8.9%, a substantial increase from the 1.8% reported in early October, according to the latest WHO risk assessment.

The immune escape potential of BA.2.86 will vary across countries based on other circulating variants, population immunity, and vaccine coverage. However, the WHO suggests that it is not expected to be as dramatic as when Omicron emerged after Delta. Studies on the blood of patients with breakthrough Omicron infections indicate robust neutralizing activity against BA.2.86, signaling potential added protection with updated vaccines.

T-cell memory is reported to be highly durable and cross-reactive to BA.2.86, hinting at sustained protection against severe disease. While BA.2.86 has the potential to cause surges in infections, there is currently no indication that the disease will be more severe than other variants. However, limited data are available, and the clinical presentation remains unchanged so far.

The current public health risk is considered low, and the emergence of BA.2.86 is not expected to significantly strain national health systems, according to experts. The CDC notes that the proportions of BA.2.86 in circulating viruses have gradually increased, ranging from 5% to 15%, and may continue to grow. However, there is no evidence that BA.2.86 and its relatives, including JN.1, are driving increases in cases and hospitalizations.

JN.1 remains below the 1% threshold for the CDC's projection graphs and is included under the BA.2.86 umbrella. The CDC aligns with the WHO's risk assessment, indicating a low public health risk compared to other circulating variants based on the currently available evidence.

In addition to BA.2.86, the CDC reports rising proportions of other variants, including HV.1 at 31.7%, HK.3, JD.1.1, and JG.3.

As of the week ending November 18, the CDC observes increases in severity indicators, with hospitalizations up by 9.7% and deaths up by 8.3%. Some counties, primarily in the Midwest, fall into the high category for hospitalizations, while states like Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, and Ohio show slightly elevated levels of deaths.

Early indicators display declines or stability, with a 1.8% rise in emergency department visits for COVID and a 1.7% decline in test positivity to a national level of 8.2%. Test positivity is higher in the Midwest and Mountain West than in other regions, with New Mexico reporting the highest level in the moderate category for emergency department visits.

The WHO's latest monthly global COVID situation report, released on November 24, indicates a 13% decline in cases and a substantial 72% drop in deaths over the past month. However, caution is advised in interpreting trends due to declines in testing and reporting. Test positivity remains steady at 8%, with a slight decrease in early November.

Major case rises by WHO region are not reported, though the African and Eastern Mediterranean regions show upward trends in deaths. Among countries regularly reporting hospital data, hospitalizations for COVID have decreased by 12%, while intensive care unit admissions have increased by 26%.