Newer sub-variants of COVID-19 continue to emerge as BA.5 remains the predominant strain in Thailand. Health authorities said the general public should not worry about the new sub-variants, as they do not seem to be more virulent or transmissible than their predecessors.
The Department of Medical Sciences (DMSC) has provided an update on the current COVID-19 variant monitoring in Thailand, with 9 cases caused by BA.2.75 and its sub-lineages detected in Thailand so far.
Dr. Supakit Sirilak, Director General of the DMSC, said the department has identified the variants from 359 samples in the last week, from which 5 cases were found to be caused by the BA.2.75 sub-variant, while the majority or 333 cases belonged to the BA.4 and BA.5 group.
The DMSC chief said additional mutations are found in the new sub-lineages of BA.2.75, such as BA.2.75.2. Further monitoring is still needed to determine whether these new mutations affect the transmissibility or severity of the disease.
Health authorities in Thailand have detected and reported the cases of BA.2.75.1, BA.2.75.2, and BA.2.75.3, which are offspring of the BA.2.75 sub-variant, to the GISAID database. Most patients developed mild symptoms, and have been discharged from the hospital.
Dr. Supakit said the department has been working collectively with scientists around the world to monitor the virus to focus on any signs of concerns.
He reassured the general public that the department is capable of detecting new changes in the virus, asking them not to panic over information posted on social media. (NNT)
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