August 28|

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has recently published a technical note on two variants of Omicron, descendants of the coronavirus, which have been under scrutiny in recent months.

These are the variants known scientifically as EG.5 and BA.2.86 and, to date, the findings suggest that, despite their presence, there appears to be no significant change in their impact on public health.

EG.5, the variant that put scientists on alert
EG.5, a variant derived from XBB.1.9.2 (itself from Omicron), was first detected in February 2023. But it was only last August 9 that health authorities classified it as a “Variant of Interest” (VOI). The PAHO report notes that there has been a steady increase in the proportion of reported EG.5 infections worldwide, and that countries such as Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, the United States and the Dominican Republic have also noted this trend. However, so far, no significant changes in disease severity related to this sublineage have been detected.

BA.2.86, variant under surveillance
BA.2.86 initially emerged in a sample taken in Denmark at the end of July 2023. Although it has been detected in other regions, only a total of seven sequences have been reported to date. The World Health Organization (WHO) classified it as a variant under surveillance on August 17 because it has a considerable number of mutations in the genes of the virus spicule.

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So far, the available evidence on BA.2.86 is limited, which has led PAHO to indicate that “initial risk assessment will be generated shortly”. This suggests that more research is needed to better understand its transmission capacity, its ability to evade immune response and its potential severity.

Public health risk alert
PAHO has assessed the public health risk posed by EG.5 as low and comparable to that of other currently circulating variants of concern. However, the outlook for BA.2.86 is still under evaluation, underscoring the importance of maintaining constant vigilance on these emerging variants.

PAHO together with the World Health Organization (WHO) have reiterated that the recommendations to combat the spread of COVID-19 remain unchanged. In addition, it has urged all countries in the region to continue to collect representative samples for sequencing and to maintain adequate genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2. This is essential as the virus continues to circulate and evolve.

WHO warns that many countries are underreporting new cases
Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO technical lead for COVID-19 issues, has reported that the EG.5 variant of the Omicron virus has a higher transmission capacity, but does not appear to be more severe than other variants.

In Van Kerkhove’s words, “we did not detect a change in the severity of the EG.5 variant compared to other Omicron sublineages that have been circulating since late 2021.” This suggests that, despite its increased ability to transmit, the EG.5 variant does not appear to cause a more severe form of the disease compared to other previously identified Omicron variants.

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For his part, WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed concern that many countries were not reporting COVID-19-related data to WHO. He said that only 11% of countries had reported on hospitalizations and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions related to the virus.

In response to this situation, WHO issued a set of standing recommendations for COVID-19. In these recommendations, it urged countries to continue to report data on COVID-19, especially mortality and morbidity data, and to continue to offer vaccination.

Maria Van Kerkhove emphasized that the lack of data from many countries is hampering efforts to combat the virus. “About a year ago, we were in a much better situation to anticipate, act or be more agile. And now, the delay in our ability to do that is growing. And our ability to do so is decreasing,” he stressed.

The situation in the Americas
According to data provided by WHO, the health agency responsible for monitoring the evolution of the coronavirus worldwide, the last month has seen an alarming increase in the number of new cases of COVID-19, with more than 1.4 million new cases reported, representing a 63% increase compared to the previous period.

However, there has been a 56% decrease in the number of deaths during the same period. These data underscore the continued need to maintain stringent control and surveillance measures.

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However, they stress that as the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to evolve, it is essential to maintain constant monitoring of emerging variants such as EG.5 and BA.2.86.

Although the risks appear to be low at this time, the situation may change, and it is vital to follow the recommendations of public health authorities and maintain active surveillance to ensure an effective response to the ongoing pandemic.