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Omicron subvariant BA.2 'in growth phase' in Florida, researchers find

University of Miami researchers have been tracking SARS-CoV-2 variants through genomic sequencing. In this photo, Dr. David Andrews, associate professor at UM’s Miami Miller School of Medicine, reviews data with senior medical technologist Ranjini Valiathan and Paola Pagan, executive director of laboratory operations.
Evan Garcia
/
University of Miami via Miami Herald
University of Miami researchers have been tracking SARS-CoV-2 variants through genomic sequencing. In this photo, Dr. David Andrews, associate professor at UM’s Miami Miller School of Medicine, reviews data with senior medical technologist Ranjini Valiathan and Paola Pagan, executive director of laboratory operations.

University of Miami researchers have been tracking SARS-CoV-2 variants through genomic sequencing. The effort's leader says: “We are now mirroring the national trends."

Two years and four waves into the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s starting to feel like déjà vu all over again.

A new subvariant of omicron, called BA.2, is driving most new COVID-19 infections around the world and now accounts for about 1 in 3 cases in the United States and more than half in certain regions, according to surveillance data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

CDC data show that in the Southeast, including Florida, BA.2 made up about 1 in 5 cases where virus samples were sequenced during the week ending March 19, the most recent period available. Elsewhere, including the New England region, the omicron subvariant makes up more than half of all cases.

However, there has been no corresponding spike in cases, and COVID-related deaths have dropped nationally to their lowest point since late November, prior to the omicron surge.

In Miami-Dade, a team of University of Miami researchers has been tracking variants through genomic sequencing of samples taken from COVID-positive patients at UHealth Tower, Jackson Memorial Hospital and students and staff on UM’s campuses.

Read more from our news partners at the Miami Herald.

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Daniel Chang
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