Goldtent TA Paradise

LOS ANGELES, CA — The new subvariant of the omicron coronavirus variant, known as BA.2, was detected in California and was expected to spread quickly.

The new subvariant was dubbed “stealth omicron” because its particular genetic traits make it somewhat harder to detect, and evidence suggested it will spread even more quickly than its infamous parent.

California health officials had confirmed a total of 14 BA.2 cases spread out across the state as of Wednesday. BA.2 cases were identified in Los Angeles, Santa Clara, San Diego, Orange and Tulare counties.

The new subvariant was not considered a variant of concern, according to the World Health Organization. In countries such as Denmark, where it quickly became the dominant variant, health officials have not seen an increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations or deaths.

“New variants will continue to evolve as long as there are large pockets of unvaccinated people,” a California Department of Public Health spokesperson told Patch. “Strengthening our protection against COVID-19 through vaccination and boosting is more important than ever.”

Among the many questions yet to be answered is how vaccines and natural immunity from prior omicron infection hold up against BA.2

Roughly one in five Californians has been infected with the coronavirus. More than 20 percent of the state’s more than 8 million recorded cases have occurred since the start of January, an unprecedented surge fueled by omicron.

California is averaging an 18.7 percent testing positivity rate and roughly 88,000 new cases confirmed each day. Though the state recorded some of the highest daily death tolls of the pandemic this week, omicron has proven to be far less deadly than variants such as delta.