BA.2, newest COVID-19 variant, found in Washington state, health officials say

BA.2, newest COVID-19 variant, found in Washington state, health officials say State health officials confirmed to KOMO News on Monday that BA. 2, the newest variant of COVID-19, has been detected in Washington state, which is still grappling with a surge in cases from the omicron and delta variants. A spokesperson for the Washington State Health Department said in an email that the state has already logged two confirmed cases of the newest variant, which were found earlier this month. Alfred Charles, KOMONews.com Executive Producer KOMO

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"It's too early to tell if we are going to see more cases of this variant," said health department spokesperson Shelby Anderson. "So far, fewer than 100 confirmed BA.2 cases in the U.S. have been reported."

According to the World Health Organization, the newest variant of the coronavirus has been reported across the globe and is spreading fast.

The health organization said BA.2 was first discovered in December and has been difficult to detect.

Gov. Jay Inslee has activated 100 members of the Washington State National Guard to help mobilize treatment for patients suffering from the omicron variant, which has proven to be more infectious but not as lethal as the delta variant.

Officials have not yet said how the BA.2 variant will compare to the omicron and delta variants in terms of its lethality or ability to sicken the infected. Health officials have also not said publicly how much protection the COVID vaccines will provide for those who get the BA.2 variant.