The fast-spreading Centaurus strain of Covid-19 could pose a problem for health authorities once travellers return from summer holidays, a top virologist said.
Omicron subvariant BA.2.75 has been rapidly spreading across India since it was first recognised there two months ago.
It has since been recorded in other countries across Europe and in the US.
Named after a faraway star constellation during a random tweet about rising infection numbers, the Centaurus name for the latest variant of the virus has stuck.
We try to forget Covid-19, but the virus has not forgotten us
Dr Ahmed Al Mandhari,
WHO regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean
On Thursday, the World Health Organisation warned that Covid cases were also rising in the geographical area it classes as the Eastern Mediterranean, which includes the Middle East and parts of North Africa.
On average, there are 18,000 new cases and 31 deaths in the region. Under-reporting is common and figures could be much higher.
It is not known if it is likely to have a higher death rate than previous variants, but doctors said the variant is already proving more transmissible judging by the speed at which new infections are reported.
Dr Matthew Binnicker, director of clinical virology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, said rapidly spreading infections were likely to continue in the months ahead, with more patients requiring hospital treatment.
“It’s likely that the large and dense population centres in India are contributing to the rapid spread of BA.2.75 [Centaurus],” Dr Binnicker told The National.
“If the spread follows prior trends, it is likely to also cause surges in the UK and the US in coming months.
“Given global travel, all countries should be aware of the rapid spread of BA.2.75 and be taking steps to reduce the number of overall infections.
“It is important to ramp up vaccinations and ensure those who are eligible for a booster receive their additional dose, which will help to reduce infections.
"And, most importantly, the overall number of people coming down with severe disease, requiring hospitalisation and dying from Covid-19.
“There is a trend of increased hospitalisations in many countries, but this is likely a reflection of the higher rates of transmission rather than the new variants causing worse disease.”
Centaurus has mutations in the spike protein of the virus; the spike protein is the part that helps the virus bind to the surface of human cells, and it is also targeted by most Covid-19 vaccines.
So far, the variant does not appear to carry any unique symptoms, while anyone who develops a fever, cough, sore throat and headache should be tested.
Rising case numbers, fewer deaths
Doctors said the virus still had the potential to cause complications in patients already in hospital being treated for other conditions.
“The mutations in BA.2.75 are allowing the virus to be spread at a higher rate compared to other variants,” Dr Binnicker said.
“There is also concern that the mutations in BA.2.75 may allow the virus to evade the immune response generated by either vaccination or prior infection.
“Currently, the number of BA.2.75 infections in the United States and the UK is believed to be low; however, that may change over the next few months.”
In the UK, scientists writing in the British Medical Journal said Covid-19 was pushing the NHS close to collapse and was unlikely to settle into a seasonal pattern, as seen with influenza.
Hospital admissions in the UK of patients with Covid-19, but not necessarily admitted as a result, averaged slightly above 9,000 a week, against just below 6,000 last year and just under 7,000 in 2020.
Meanwhile in India, a seven-day average of 2,224 new cases of Covid-19 were reported on May 18, but that had climbed to 18,588 on July 18 as the Centaurus strain circulated in densely populated areas.
In the US, reported infection numbers have risen to a weekly average of 128,849 on July 18 compared with 98,094 a month earlier.
“This current trend shows that the Covid-19 pandemic is far from over,” said Dr Ahmed Al Mandhari, the WHO regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean.
“We try to forget Covid-19, but the virus has not forgotten us."
The University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation estimated for every reported new case of Covid, there were likely to be seven more going unseen.
Prof Paul Hunter, an expert in infectious diseases at the University of East Anglia, said while BA.2.75 was likely to become the most dominant variant, a return of travel restrictions was unlikely .
“Other variants have looked threatening, but faded after a month or so,” he said.
“This is an escape mutation in that it can get around prior immunity, but not all of it because there are different degrees of protection that people will have.
“An interesting development has been hybrid immunity in people who have had three vaccines and the virus itself.
“That shows you have a better immunity even to new variants we don’t even know about yet.
You can expect to see a surge in cases with people returning from summer holidays. Potentially, I could see a return to pre-flight testing
Prof Paul Hunter,
University of East Anglia
“In the UK, despite serial waves of infections, the numbers with severe disease is generally lower in each wave.”
Prof Hunter estimated that about 90 per cent of the UK population would have had some kind of exposure to infection, increasing their natural immunity.
Combined with a widespread vaccination programme, this latest variant posed little cause for concern of more serious disease, he said.
“No matter how good control measures are, unless you stay in lockdown and keep your borders closed permanently, these viruses will eventually appear in waves,” Prof Hunter said.
“You can expect to see a surge in cases with people returning from summer holidays.
“Potentially, I could see a return to pre-flight testing but I’m not sure that will happen.
“There may be some pressure applied by governments to reinstall these measures, but their value is a lot less than they were a year or so ago.
“There have not been that many outbreaks that have occurred on an aircraft that we know for sure."
TikTok Travel Index 2022 – in pictures
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Two products to make at home
Toilet cleaner
1 cup baking soda
1 cup castile soap
10-20 drops of lemon essential oil (or another oil of your choice)
Method:
1. Mix the baking soda and castile soap until you get a nice consistency.
2. Add the essential oil to the mix.
Air Freshener
100ml water
5 drops of the essential oil of your choice (note: lavender is a nice one for this)
Method:
1. Add water and oil to spray bottle to store.
2. Shake well before use.
Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species
Camelpox
Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.
Falconpox
Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.
Houbarapox
Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
How Filipinos in the UAE invest
A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.
Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).
Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.
Gran Gala del Calcio 2019 winners
Best Player: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
Best Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta)
Best Referee: Gianluca Rocchi
Best Goal: Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria vs Napoli)
Best Team: Atalanta
Best XI: Samir Handanovic (Inter); Aleksandar Kolarov (Roma), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli), Joao Cancelo (Juventus*); Miralem Pjanic (Juventus), Josip Ilicic (Atalanta), Nicolo Barella (Cagliari*); Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria), Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Duvan Zapata (Atalanta)
Serie B Best Young Player: Sandro Tonali (Brescia)
Best Women’s Goal: Thaisa (Milan vs Juventus)
Best Women’s Player: Manuela Giugliano (Milan)
Best Women’s XI: Laura Giuliani (Milan); Alia Guagni (Fiorentina), Sara Gama (Juventus), Cecilia Salvai (Juventus), Elisa Bartoli (Roma); Aurora Galli (Juventus), Manuela Giugliano (Roma), Valentina Cernoia (Juventus); Valentina Giacinti (Milan), Ilaria Mauro (Fiorentina), Barbara Bonansea (Juventus)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Overview
What: The Arab Women’s Sports Tournament is a biennial multisport event exclusively for Arab women athletes.
When: From Sunday, February 2, to Wednesday, February 12.
Where: At 13 different centres across Sharjah.
Disciplines: Athletics, archery, basketball, fencing, Karate, table tennis, shooting (rifle and pistol), show jumping and volleyball.
Participating countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Qatar and UAE.
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
