Omicron BA.2 dominant strain in travellers to Sindh
May 13, 2022
- BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron found to be dominant strain of COVID among travellers to Karachi, Sindh.
- On May 10, genome sequencing results found 33 (86.8%) infections of Omicron variant.
- Pakistan also detected its first case of BA.2.12.1 on Monday.
The BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron has been found to be the dominant strain of the coronavirus among travellers to Karachi and Sindh this month.
Over 34 samples were collected from passengers, who arrived in the province this month. On May 10, the genome sequencing results found 33 (86.8%) infections of the Omicron variant, while 1 (2.6%) tested positive for the Delta variant, as per the data of the Sindh Health Department shared exclusively with Geo.tv.
Also read: Omicron BA.2.12.1: Everything you need know about the new variant
Of the Omicron cases, the majority, 76.3% cases were of the contagious BA.2 sub-variant of the Omicron, while 15.8% were of BA.1 and 5.3% of BA.3.
On Monday, Pakistan also detected its first case of the BA.2.12.1, which is a further mutation of BA.2. The case was confirmed in a person who had travelled by air from Qatar to Pakistan.
On the same day, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered the immediate restoration of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).
Pakistan recorded 31 new cases of the coronavirus but no deaths on May 13.
