Victoria says rising Omicron subvariant is on track to be the state’s major Covid strain

Chief health officer Brett Sutton warns BA.4/BA.5 strain traces have risen in recent weeks, and has greater ability to evade vaccine immunity

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An Omicron subvariant of Covid-19 that can evade vaccine immunity is on the rise in Victoria, with health authorities warning it is on track to be the state's major strain in line with virus spread in NSW and Queensland.

Traces of the BA.4/BA.5 strain in Victoria's metro and regional wastewater have risen significantly in recent weeks, indicating increasing transmission of this sub-lineage in the community," Victoria's chief health officer, Brett Sutton, said in a statement on Saturday.

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