The World Health Organization (WHO) and US health authorities announced on Friday August 18 that they are closely monitoring a new variant of the virus responsible for Covid-19, even if “for now, the potential impact of the many mutations of BA.2.86 are unknown”, writes the WHO in its epidemiological bulletin dedicated to the pandemic.

The organization decided to classify this new variant “in the category of variants under surveillance because of the very large number (more than 30) of mutations of the Spike gene that it carries”, specifies the WHO in its bulletin. It is the Spike protein that gives the virus its spiky appearance and is what allows SARS-CoV-2 to enter host cells.

So far, this new variant has only been detected in Israel, Denmark and the United States. In the latter country, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (which together form the main US federal agency for protecting public health) said on X (formerly Twitter) they are watching the variant closely.

Currently, only four known sequences of this variant have been reported, with no known associated epidemiological link, explains the WHO.

“The potential impact of BA.2.86 mutations is currently unknown and they are being carefully evaluated,” the organization said, stressing again the importance of continuing to monitor, sequence and report competent authorities to have an accurate and comprehensive view of the pandemic.

6.9 million reported deaths worldwide

The WHO is currently tracking three variants of interest (XBB.1.5, XBB.1.16 and EG.5) and seven variants are classified under surveillance (BA.2.75, BA.2.86, CH.1.1, XBB, XBB.1.9.1 , XBB.1.9.2 and XBB.2.3).

Most of the States that had set up specific surveillance systems for the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its variants have generally dismantled them, considering that the threat was now less severe and no longer justified these expenses. . The WHO has consistently denounced this “disarmament” and continues “to call for better surveillance, sequencing and reporting [of] Covid-19 as this virus continues to circulate and evolve”.

If, since the beginning of May, the WHO no longer considers the pandemic a global health emergency, “the virus (…) continues to kill and continues to change”, underlined last week its director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Over the last period under review (July 17 to August 13, 2023), more than 1.4 million new cases of Covid-19 and more than 2,300 deaths were notified, according to the WHO epidemiological bulletin. This represents an increase of 63% and a decrease of 56%, respectively, compared to the previous 28-day period.

As of August 13, 2023, over 769 million confirmed cases of Covid-19 and over 6.9 million deaths have been reported worldwide. The actual toll of infections and deaths is believed to be much higher, with many cases having escaped the census.