The COVID-19 subvariant estimated by New York state health officials to be substantially more contagious than the first descendant of the potent omicron strain now accounts for up to 73.3% of all virus circulating in the region that encompasses the Empire State, according to new CDC data released Tuesday.
Prevalence of BA.2.12.1, which health officials say appears to be at least 25% more transmissible than BA.2 (which is said to be more 30% more contagious than its predecessor, omicron), in the agency’s New York region has been increasing at a far faster rate than nationally, the latest weekly update shows.
The CDC puts it at 66.3% (at least) of COVID cases in the New York region, which for its purposes also includes New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands, though says BA.2.12.1’s share of cases could be higher.