No new variants of COVID emerged during China’s recent surge in cases, according to new analysis.
nation December ends with strict zero-COVID policy The rare protests threatened the regime’s authority, leading to massive outbreaks and Nearly 60,000 confirmed deaths in just over a month.
Massive infections have previously been shown to be dangerous breeding grounds for the emergence of new variants Gauteng, South Africa arrive Kent in the UK.
But one study showed that the two existing subvariants Omicron – BA.5.2 and BF.7 – Driver ChinaCases surged, accounting for more than 90% of infections in Beijing between Nov. 14 and Dec. 20.
While the study focused on the capital, the study’s authors said it represented a snapshot across the country coronavirus Outbreaks occur due to the characteristics of urban populations and the ability of the virus to spread there.
Professor George Gao from the Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences said: “Given the impact of mutations on the course of the pandemic, it is important to investigate whether new mutation prevention and control policies have emerged following recent changes in COVID in China.
“Our analysis suggests that two known subvariants of Omicron – rather than any new variants – are primarily responsible for the current surge in Beijing and across China.
“However, with the massive spread of COVID-19 in China, we must continue to monitor the situation closely to detect any possible new variants as early as possible.”
The peer-reviewed study has been published in The Lancet.