Five cases of Omicron BA.2.75 have been found in Thailand, while BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants remain dominant, 91.5% in Bangkok and 79.8% in the rest of the country. This is in line with the global trend, said Director-General of the Medical Sciences Department Dr. Supakit Sirilak today (Monday).
Of 382 cases randomly tested between July 30th and August 5th, Dr. Sirilak said that 322 were identified as the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants, one BA.1 case, 58 BA.2 cases and one BA.2.75 case.
From genomic sequencing of 411 samples, he said 90 (21.9%) are BA.4, 317 (77.13%) are BA.5 and four are BA.2.75 (0.97%).
One of the BA.2.75 case is severe with the patient needing a ventilator. The patient has never been vaccinated because he is allergic to it.
Another case is an 85-year-old woman living in Bangkok who is bedridden.
Dr. Supakit said that it remains inconclusive as to whether the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants are more serious than BA.1 and BA.2, but he thinks they are not that different.
Citing the database of the Global Initiatives on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID), he said that 1,434 BA.2.75 cases have been recorded worldwide.
Source: Thai Public Broadcasting Service