Omicron subvariant BA.2 now present in all major Hawaii counties

The omicron subvariant, BA.2, now makes up approximately 13% of the variants circulating in Hawaii, according to the latest report from the state Department of Health State Laboratories Division.

The variant report, posted on Wednesday, confirmed 111 cases of BA.2 detected by whole genome sequencing in samples collected from Jan. 6 to March 3. The 111 cases are more than twice the number detected in the last variant report, 54, released on March 1.

The subvariant was first detected in Hawaii on Jan. 28 with eight cases, which increased to 29 in mid-February.

The BA.2 subvariant, which experts say is more transmissible but does not cause more severe illness than the original strain of omicron, is driving an increase in coronavirus cases in Europe and Asia.

Dr. Anthony Fauci said in Bloomberg News Monday that he expects the U.S. to see an uptick in cases, as has been seen in European countries, particularly the United Kingdom, but not a full-scale surge.

BA.2 currently makes up about 23% of COVID-19 infections in the U.S., according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up from 13.7% earlier this month.

In Hawaii, the DOH variant report confirms the presence of BA.2 in Honolulu County, Maui County and Hawaii County via sequencing of test samples collected statewide from January through March 3. It did not confirm any cases for Kauai County.

Kauai County deputy health district officer Lauren Guest, however, said during a briefing Monday that although BA.2 has not been detected on the Garden isle via individual COVID-19 case specimens, it has been found in the wastewater there.

“BA.2 has been detected in Kauai wastewater,” said Guest. “That means that the BA.2 subvariant is already here on Kauai. It has been detected in all Hawaii counties and many places on the mainland.”

DOH is closely following trends in BA.2, she said, though it is not yet known how the variant may affect case rates or hospitalizations in Hawaii’s communities.

Both Fauci, chief medical advisor to President Biden, and U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy are urging Congress to continue funding COVID-19 relief measures in preparation for another wave.