Health officials say it is too early to know whether BA.2.86 is more serious than previous strains.

A new Covid variant is spreading in England and is behind an outbreak at a care home in Norfolk, UK health officials say.

There have been 34 confirmed cases of BA.2.86, with 28 of those at the care home. There have been no deaths.

It is too early to draw conclusions on whether it is more serious than past variants, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.

What the article doesn’t mention:

  • 33 out of 38 residents tested positive, along with 12 staff members.

  • The attack rate was 86% among residents

  • 29 out of 33 residents had received a booster within the past 4 months.

  • All 4 residents who didn’t test positive received a booster in the spring.

  • 1 hospitalization.

  • Only 19 of the 33 residents were symptomatic.

  • The outbreak was reported on August 21st, and indicates “established community transmission”.

  • The outbreak was more severe than previous ones at the facility.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/investigation-of-sars-cov-2-variants-technical-briefings/sars-cov-2-variant-surveillance-and-assessment-technical-briefing-53

I don’t think this variant will fizzle out.