Covid-19: the strain that is causing problems in Portugal
The BA.5 strain of the Ómicron variant is already responsible for 37% of cases of infection in Portugal, a growth trend that should reach 80% on May 22, estimates the Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA).
“The BA.5 lineage is projected to reach a relative frequency of about 80% by May 22, forecasting a 13% per day growth trend and an early doubling time,” the Genetic Diversity Report of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in Portugal.
WHO The Organization () The WHO Organization () already presents several characteristics of the Health series, which may be more than the characteristics of the World Health case, it may be more than the characteristics of the World Health case, it may be more than the characteristics of the Health Case. that there is still no data to prove that it causes more serious covid-19.
According to INSA, BA.5 doubled its frequency between the weeks of April 11 and 17 and April 18 and 24, estimating that it represents “37% of positives on May 8”.
The report of the last working group of the Instituto Superior Técnico on the evolution of the pandemic, released Tuesday by Lusa, that the new strains of the Ómicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, warns in conjunction with the elimination of the mandatory widespread use of mask, can contribute to the increase in the number of cases.
According to the document, the seven-day average incidence increased by 14,267 cases since April 19, which is due “to the abrupt withdrawal from mask use in almost all contexts and to the new BA.5 lineage of the Ómicron variation that begins to settle” in the country.
As for BA.2, which was detected for the first time in Portugal at the end of 2021 and which became the dominant one in the last week of February this year, has a decreasing prevalence, now presenting 62.9% of origins by INSA.
They were also identified for the first time in the country following BA. countries, as is the case of the United States of America, the report states, which also states that, to date, no BA.4 case has been detected in Portugal.
As part of the continuous monitoring of the diversity of SARS-CoV-2 that the INSA is operating, there were 3 sequences from an average of 2021 to the beginning of 2021, from a selection randomly selected in 18 labor districts of mainland Portugal and the autonomous regions of the Azores. and Madeira, covering an average of 139 municipalities per week.
with LUSA