Two mutations of the Covid-19 Omicron strain that helped throw Britain back into lockdown have been identified as variants of concern.
The warning came as Covid-19 infections in the UK fell to their lowest level for five months.
Analysis of Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 suggests they are likely to have a “growth advantage” over BA.2, which is the current dominant variant, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
“The reclassification of these variants as variants of concern reflects emerging evidence on the growth of BA.4 and BA.5 internationally and in the UK,” said Dr Meera Chand, UKHSA director of clinical and emerging infections.
“While the impact of these variants is uncertain, the variant classification system aims to identify potential risk as early as possible.
“UKHSA is undertaking further detailed studies. Data and analysis will be released in due course through our regular surveillance reporting.”
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A family member pays their respects to those who lost their lives to Covid-19, as the one year anniversary of the National Covid Memorial Wall is marked in London. PA -
A woman holds a photograph of a family member who died as she takes part in a march from the National Covid Memorial wall to Downing Street in London. AP Photo -
Bereaved families travelled to the wall from across the country to mark the day, with a petition to make the wall a permanent memorial. AP Photo -
Bereaved families march alongside the wall. PA -
Families with MPs Sir Peter Bottomley, right, and Afzal Khan, left, deliver a petition to 10 Downing Street. PA -
Family members write a message to two sisters who died of Covid-19 on the National Covid Memorial wall. AP Photo -
Becca Slater, centre, receives a hug as she remembers her father Anthony Elward, who died in 2020. AP Photo -
A woman writes a message in a red heart on the wall. AP Photo -
Families marching through central London. PA
As of May 20, 115 cases of probable or confirmed BA.4 had been identified, with 67 in England, 41 in Scotland, six in Wales and one in Northern Ireland.
Another 80 cases of BA.5 were identified, with 48 in England, 25 in Scotland, six in Northern Ireland and one in Wales.
There is currently no data to determine the effect of the variants on hospital admissions in the UK.
Initial findings suggested BA.4 and BA.5 have a degree of “immune escape” — meaning the immune system can no longer recognise or fight a virus, which is likely to contribute to their growth advantage over BA 2, the UKHSA said.
A total of 1.3 million people in private households are estimated to have had the virus in the week to May 13, according to the Office for National Statistics.
This is down 14 per cent from 1.5 million the previous week and follows drops of 24 per cent and 32 per cent in the two previous weeks.
Total infections in the UK are now back to levels last seen in early December, when numbers had just started to increase because of the spread of the original Omicron variant.
Infections are now about a quarter what they were at the peak of the recent Omicron BA.2 wave at the end of March, when a record 4.9 million people were estimated to have Covid-19.
