Kathmandu, July 3
Nepal has confirmed the infection of Omicron’s new subvariant BA.5 of the coronavirus in the country for the first time.
Gene sequencing done at the Dhulikhel Hospital detected the new subvariant, according to the hospital’s laboratory chief Dr Rajeev Shrestha. Shrestha says the hospital had collected samples for gene sequencing from other labs.
He says the hospital is yet to know about the detailed history of the case.
For the past few days, the number of new Covid cases is increasing in most parts of the world and two new subvariants–BA.4 and BA.5–have been blamed for that.
Virologist Dr Sher Bahadur Pun of the Shukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital says the subvariant BA.5 has spread quicker than other variants.
Dr Pun, however, says it is still not clear what the spread will result in.
