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Europe Warns of New, Highly Mutated Covid Strain as Cases Rise
- Pirola strain has been sporadically detected on continent
- It’s still unclear if new variants pose any heightened risk
A healthcare worker places a test swab into solution for a PCR Covid-19 test.
Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
European health officials warned that the new, highly mutated Pirola coronavirus variant is circulating on the continent and may be behind an uptick in Covid-19 cases.
The strain, officially called BA.2.86, was detected sporadically during August and could be a factor in the recent noticeable increase in infections, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said in a statement.