The Omicron subvariant BA.5, which has recently seen a surge across Portugal, made up around 25.4% of cases in the Grand Duchy by the end of may, according to a parliamentary question submitted to Minister of Health Paulette Lenert by the CSV.
The subvariant is thought to be responsible for the slight increase in cases over the past week, as it seems to be more infectious than the previous Omicron variant. Lenert said despite the rise in cases, the subvariant does not appear to cause severe illness.
Initial publications on the subvariant point to the fact that Covid vaccinations have proven less efficient against the Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5. People who have previously contracted the virus are also likely to risk infection.
The Minister of Health did not provide details of the government’s preparation for the autumn months. However, she referenced the fact that preparations were ongoing in all domains linked to the pandemic, such as testing, treatments, contact tracing, hygiene measures and vaccination.
