A new coronavirus (COVID-19) variant, BA.2.86 (nicknamed 'Pirola' on social media) has been reported in the United States and some other nations. It is said to be highly mutated from more recent versions and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has added it to it watch list after it was added to the WHO's SARS-CoV-2 variant monitoring list.

Covid may have subsided, but the fear among people still resides with the emergence of variants and sub-variants of the deadly virus. The first known case of Covid was reported in China towards the end of 2019, and when it started to spread, it was declared a public health emergency of international concern in January 2020.

The outbreak became a pandemic just a few weeks later, and caused havoc on mankind, killing millions of people and leaving many more reeling with long-Covid.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-map-claiming-regions-beyond-its-border-is-aggression-shows-beijings-character-630176">China's map claiming regions beyond its border, including India, shows Beijing's 'aggressive character'</a>

Different variants such as Delta and Omicron, led to deadly Covid waves, and experts have raised concerns over this new variant also. As per reports, seven confirmed cases of the 'Pirola' variant were reported by CDC as of August 19.

The variant has been detected in other countries as well, such as Denmark, Israel, South Africa, Portugal and the United Kingdom.

<h2>What is 'Pirola' variant of COVID-19?</h2>

BA.2.86 (or the Pirola) has caused concerns among some virologists as according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's August 23 risk assessment, some said that it has a large number of mutations, and it may be able to bypass immunity from the vaccine or recent infection with a different variant.

A report by The Wall Street Journal mentioned that the positive cases include people who haven't travelled recently. It indicates that there is community transmission. Concerns have also been raised as the variant has also been detected in wastewater in the US.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/geetika-srivastava-appointed-as-indias-1st-female-diplomat-to-head-mission-in-pakistan-630121">Geetika Srivastava appointed as India's 1st female diplomat to head mission in Pakistan</a>&nbsp;

According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, &nbsp;one case of BA.2.86 was detected in Washtenaw County, and reportedly impacted an older adult who showed "mild" symptoms that didn't immediately require hospitalisation. So far there's no update on the health of the person.

The WSJ report stated that scientists are not aware of the origin of the variant as it contains so many mutations. But they believe it developed over months in an immunocompromised person with a chronic infection.

(With inputs from agencies)

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A new coronavirus (COVID-19) variant, BA.2.86 (nicknamed 'Pirola' on social media) has been reported in the United States and some other nations. It is said to be highly mutated from more recent versions and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has added it to it watch list after it was added to the WHO's SARS-CoV-2 variant monitoring list.

A new coronavirus (COVID-19) variant, BA.2.86 (nicknamed 'Pirola' on social media) has been reported in the United States and some other nations. It is said to be highly mutated from more recent versions and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has added it to it watch list after it was added to the WHO's SARS-CoV-2 variant monitoring list. Covid may have subsided, but the fear among people still resides with the emergence of variants and sub-variants of the deadly virus. The first known case of Covid was reported in China towards the end of 2019, and when it started to spread, it was declared a public health emergency of international concern in January 2020. The outbreak became a pandemic just a few weeks later, and caused havoc on mankind, killing millions of people and leaving many more reeling with long-Covid. Also read: China's map claiming regions beyond its border, including India, shows Beijing's 'aggressive character' Different variants such as Delta and Omicron, led to deadly Covid waves, and experts have raised concerns over this new variant also. As per reports, seven confirmed cases of the 'Pirola' variant were reported by CDC as of August 19. The variant has been detected in other countries as well, such as Denmark, Israel, South Africa, Portugal and the United Kingdom. What is 'Pirola' variant of COVID-19? BA.2.86 (or the Pirola) has caused concerns among some virologists as according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's August 23 risk assessment, some said that it has a large number of mutations, and it may be able to bypass immunity from the vaccine or recent infection with a different variant. A report by The Wall Street Journal mentioned that the positive cases include people who haven't travelled recently. It indicates that there is community transmission. Concerns have also been raised as the variant has also been detected in wastewater in the US. Also read: Geetika Srivastava appointed as India's 1st female diplomat to head mission in Pakistan According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, one case of BA.2.86 was detected in Washtenaw County, and reportedly impacted an older adult who showed "mild" symptoms that didn't immediately require hospitalisation. So far there's no update on the health of the person. The WSJ report stated that scientists are not aware of the origin of the variant as it contains so many mutations. But they believe it developed over months in an immunocompromised person with a chronic infection. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

What is 'Pirola' variant of COVID-19? Experts say it may bypass immunity from vaccine

Several COVID-19 vaccines have now been granted emergency use authorisation, having demonstrated that they are both safe and effective. But the question remains: How long will vaccine immunity last?

How long will the vaccine immunity last?

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