Cases of BA.2.75 Detected in Illinois. What Experts Are Saying About New COVID Variant

Since the pandemic's onset more than two years ago, sudden increases in COVID-19 cases have been driven by the emergence of new variants, including delta and omicron. Currently, a more contagious omicron subvariant, called BA.5, accounts for most new U.S. cases, however a separate, newer subvariant is garnering attention.

Known as BA.2.75, the subvariant may be able to evade immunity from vaccines and prior infection, scientists assert. The strain includes multiple mutations in the gene encoding for the spike protein of the virus, which allow the virus to bind to the host cell receptor more efficiently, Dr. Matthew Binnicker, director of the Clinical Virology Laboratory at Mayo Clinic, explained in an article.

Detected in India in May, the strain appears to be spreading quicker than other subvariants there and is under monitoring by both the World Health Organization as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cases have surfaced in at least a dozen countries, including the U.S., where numbers remain extremely low.

A total of 13 cases have been confirmed in the U.S., with three of those in Illinois, said Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health.

At this point, it doesn't appear the strain will lead to another major COVID wave in the U.S., but the possibility remains.