1st case in Texas
The new variant has been found in Texas, making it the fourth case in the U.S. (+ a wastewater detection in New York), according to S. Wesley Long of Methodist Hospital.
Source
August 31, 2023
1st case in France
The first case in France, collection date August 21.
Source
August 31, 2023
1st case in Scotland
Scotland has reported the first confirmed case of BA.2.86, making it the second case in the UK. The sample was collected on August 16.
Source
August 31, 2023
BA.2.86 detected in Norway
The new variant has been detected at very low levels in wastewater in Norway, according to the Institute of Public Health.
Source
August 30, 2023
1st case in Canada
British Columbia has reported the first confirmed case of BA.2.86, the first in Canada. The patient, from the Fraser Health region, had no recent travel history.
Source
August 29, 2023
BA.2.86 detected in New York City
The new variant has been detected in wastewater in New York City, according to NYC Health.
Source
August 29, 2023
1st cases in Sweden + 6 in Denmark
Sweden has reported the first 4 confirmed cases of BA.2.86. One case was found in Stockholm, with a collection date of August 7, and two were found in Vasternorrland, with collection dates August 18 and 19. Meanwhile, 6 new cases were reported in Denmark.
August 29, 2023
BA.2.86 detected in Germany, Spain
Traces of the variant have been found in wastewater in Germany and Spain, according to Sorin Sion, of the EU's Sewage Sentinel System for SARS-CoV-2.
Source
August 28, 2023
1st cases in Portugal
The first two cases in Portugal have been found, both with collection dates of August 15. No further details.
Source
August 28, 2023
Confirmed case in Ohio
A case of BA.2.86 has been confirmed in Ohio with a collection date of July 29. Ohio had previously found signs of BA.2.86 in a wastewater sample.
Source
August 26, 2023
1 new case in Denmark
Denmark has reproted another case of BA.2.86 through genomic sequencing. Additionally, wastewater samples from different geographic locations contained mutations typically seen in BA.2.86, which suggests the new variant is circulating in Denmark but currently at a low level.
Source
August 25, 2023
BA.2.86 detected in Ohio
The Ohio Department of Health reports the "preliminary detection" of BA.2.86 in a wastewater sample in the state. Earlier today, CDC said the new variant had been detected in U.S. wastewater through routine monitoring.
Source
August 23, 2023
CDC risk assessment
The U.S. CDC has published its first risk assessment for BA.2.86, saying the new variant may be more capable of infecting people who were previously infected or vaccinated against COVID-19. Other factors, such as severity and transmissability, are still unclear.
Source
August 23, 2023
BA.2.86 detected in Thailand
Researchers in Thailand have detected BA.2.86 in wastewater samples from multiple locations in Bangkok. The samples were collected about 3 to 4 weeks ago and the estimated prevalance is less than 1%.
Source
August 23, 2023
BA.2.86 detected in Switzerland
Officially, none of the sequenced cases from Switzerland have been identified as BA.2.86, but the new variant has already been found in wastewater samples from Laupen. The samples were collected on 5-6 August.
Source
August 23, 2023
1st cases in South Africa
The first 2 cases of BA.2.86 have been found in South Africa. One sample was collected from a 60-year-old woman in Gauteng province on July 24, making it the earliest known case along with one from Denmark. The second sample was collected on July 28.
Source
August 22, 2023
1 new case in the U.S.
Virginia has reported the first case of BA.2.86 in a sample collected at an airport on August 10. The patient had traveled from Japan and was asymptomatic when the sample was collected. No follow up infortmation.
August 21, 2023
Update on Missouri case
The Missouri Health Department says the first U.S. case is in an older adult with mild symptoms. The patient, from Washtenaw County, has not been hospitalized. The also says 7 cases have been reported worldwide, which a spokeswoman said was reported by the CDC, but BNO News has not been able to confirm this. At this time, only 6 cases have been publicly reported.
Source
August 19, 2023
UK risk assessment
The UK Health Security Agency has released its first risk assessment for BA.2.86. In it, the agency says the similar sequences across the world suggest a "relatively recent emergence and rapid growth."
The agency adds that it is unreliable to predict the possible effect of mutations but there is sufficient information to expect significant antigenic change. There may also be other changes in viral properties.
Source
August 18, 2023
1 new case in Denmark
Denmark has reported a new case. All 3 cases so far are from different parts of the country. No unusual symptoms have been reported.
Source 1
August 18, 2023
1st case in the U.S.
The first case of BA.2.86 has been confirmed in the United States, in the state of Michigan.
Source
August 17, 2023
'Variant Under Monitoring'
WHO has designated BA.2.86 as a variant under monitoring (VUM) due to the large number of mutations it carries.
Source
August 17, 2023
2 cases in Denmark
Denmark reported 2 cases of BA.2.86. The patients have no links to each other and neither of them are immunocompromised. Notably, one of the samples was collected on July 24, a week before Israel's case.
Source
August 14, 2023
First case
Israel reported the first case of BA.2.86 in a sample which was collected on July 31. The patient had contact with two other people who had COVID-19 about a week earlier. None of them are immunocompromised. August 13, 2023
