CDC is tracking a new SARS-CoV-2 variant called BA.2.86 and working to better understand its potential impact on public health. This update follows CDC’s initial risk assessment summary on August 23, 2023. A variant is an alternate version of a virus – in this case, the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 – that has some mutations or changes in its genetic code, compared with the original. Mutations can alter the behavior of the viruses in various ways, such as how effectively they break into cells and how rapidly they can replicate, according to virologist and infectious disease expert, Dr. Suresh V. Kuchipudi.

BA.2.86, nicknamed Pirola, is a highly mutated new omicron sublineage of SARS-CoV-2 that was first detected in Denmark in July 2023. The World Health Organization announced that, as of Sept. 6, 2023, BA.2.86 has been detected in 11 countries. What’s interesting is that BA.2.86, the newest sublineage on the scene, seems to have come from the older BA.2 omicron lineage that was dominant in early 2022 and not from the newer omicron offshoots, according to virologist, Dr. Kuchipudi. A preliminary study reported that BA.2.86 features 33 distinct spike mutations when compared to its precursor, BA.2.