Genetic traits of the sub-variant make it harder to detect
After avoiding Covid-19 for months, Hong Kong is grappling with an outbreak caused by a novel twist on Omicron that’s rare — but on the rise — throughout the world.
While little is known of the BA.2 Omicron sub-variant, including whether it’s more infectious or deadly, it’s widely considered harder to detect because of its unique genetic traits that make it difficult to distinguish from other Covid-19 variants.
While Hong Kong’s strict Covid-zero policy was successful in keeping out the deadly Delta variant in 2021, the strategy is exacting an economic toll as the city becomes increasingly isolated from the rest of the world.
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