Vietnam detects Omicron’s subvariant BA.5

Further information regarding the BA.5 cases and their conditions have not been disclosed.

According to Lan, the detection of new strains is inevitable as Vietnam has reopened under the new normal.

BA.5 was first discovered in South Africa in January. So far, it has become a dominant strain in some countries such as Israel and Germany.

Some studies show that BA.4 and BA.5 spread faster than the previous subvariant BA.2, but there has been not enough data on severity rate. Lan said the Ministry of Health will continue to monitor new strains and World Health Organization (WHO) information to adjust Covid-19 prevention measures when necessary.

Vietnam has recorded 142,000 Covid cases over the past two months, and the death rate has fallen to 0.06 percent of the total number of infections.

Vietnam has covered almost 80 percent of its 96-million population with two vaccine doses, and the group of those from five years old are to receive the second doses within June.

The health ministry recently said it is still not the right time for Vietnam to consider Covid-19 endemic though the situation has stabilized somewhat.