Corona expert: BA.2.75 variant spreading slower than expected

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The BA.2.75 omicron variant, initially viewed with concern by some scientists, is spreading more slowly than expected, according to corona expert Richard Neher.

Although BA.2.75 is still increasing in India and appears to have a clear transmission advantage there, Richard Neher of the Biozentrum at the University of Basel said Wednesday in response to a query. He is head of a research group for the evolution of viruses and bacteria.

Outside India, the picture is not so clear, Neher explained. He said India had not had a pronounced wave from the BA.5 subline, so the situation there is not readily comparable to the rest of the world. Neher stressed that it is still possible for BA.2.75 to spread globally. “But data from the past two weeks have shown that the variant is not growing as fast as initially thought.”