Another COVID variant?

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Web Desk
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A man wearing a protective face mask walks past an illustration of a virus outside a regional science centre amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Oldham, Britain August 3, 2020. Photo: Reuters
A man wearing a protective face mask walks past an illustration of a virus outside a regional science centre amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Oldham, Britain August 3, 2020. Photo: Reuters

  • A new COVID variant has been found in Israel.
  • This variant is a combination of Omicron’s dominant subvariant BA.1 and another subvariant, BA.2.
  • Symptoms are light and include low fever, muscle aches, and headaches.


Israel’s Health Ministry announced that two cases of a new COVID variant were discovered in Israel, The Times of Israel reported.

This variant is yet another hybrid combining Omicron’s dominant subvariant BA.1 and another subvariant, BA.2.

The Health Ministry reported that the cases were found via PCR tests taken from incoming Israeli passengers at Ben Gurion Airport. They added that the variant was “still unknown around the world.”

The Ministry plans to examine the situation closely. They believe that the variant might have emerged from Israel as the patients were infected “before boarding the flight in Israel.”

“The phenomenon of combined variants is well-known,” COVID czar Salman Zarka speculated. “At this point, we are not concerned about [variant leading to] serious cases.”

The symptoms are seemingly light, not requiring special treatment. These include low fever, muscle aches and headaches.

Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, plans to meet health officials personally despite reassuring remarks from health experts. This concern might be due to upcoming Jewish holidays which feature large audiences.