Omicron subvariant BA.2 becomes dominant strain in US: CDC

The BA.2 sub-lineage of the Omicron variant has become the dominant strain in the US, according to new data released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The variant has been steadily rising in proportion due to its increased transmissibility compared to the original Omicron strain, Xinhua news agency reported.

The BA.2 variant represented 54.9 per cent of new Covid-19 cases for the week ending March 26, according to CDC data.

This data is up from 39 per cent a week prior, and 27.8 per cent two weeks before.

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The BA.2 subvariant is thought to be about 30 per cent more transmissible than the original BA.1 Omicron strain, early study suggested.