The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now forecasting an acceleration in new COVID-19 hospitalizations over the coming month, the agency said this week, replacing a previous projection that admissions would “remain stable or have an uncertain trend.”
It comes as health officials are racing to study a new highly mutated COVID variantcalled BA.2.86, nicknamed “Pirola” on social media, that has begun to emerge around the world.
While officials say it is too early to know whether the strain will drive a further surge in COVID hospitalizations, the variant’s broad number of mutations has prompted worldwide scrutiny.
Where has BA.2.86 been spotted?
According to records from GISAID, a global virus database, infections of BA.2.86 have been confirmed in at least five countries: South Africa, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Israel and the United States.
In the U.S., at least three states – Michigan, Virginia and Ohio – have reported the variant.