Omicron subvariant's spread threatens to prolong COVID wave

Highly contagious BA.2 becoming dominant in more countries

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A boy receives a COVID-19 vaccine in the Philippines. The BA.2 subvariant makes up 98% of recent new infections in the Southeast Asian country. © Reuters

TATSUYA OZAKI and YUMIKO URASAKI, Nikkei staff writers

TOKYO -- A new version of the omicron coronavirus variant is spreading rapidly across the world, and its high transmissibility may be fueling the staying power of COVID-19 in some countries.

The BA.2 subvariant has been documented in 57 countries including Japan, a report released by the World Health Organization on Feb. 1 says.

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