Shanghai identifies a new subvariant of omicron, the BA.5.2.1

• Pandemic Identified a new variant of Covid, Ómicron BA.2.75, with more capacity to 'escape' from vaccines

The city of Shanghai has discovered a new subvariant of omicron, which has been named

, an official source confirmed on Sunday.

This finding further complicates China's fight against new mutations in its 'covid zero' policy.

The case, detected in the Pudong financial district on July 8, is related to another patient who arrived from abroad, according to Zhao Dandan, head of the city's health agency.

Shanghai, in eastern China, emerged from a lockdown that lasted around two months in early June but has continued

as soon as new potential transmission chains emerge.

China

Covid zero.

Parole at sight or imprisonment for the omicron sub-variants?

• Writing: LUCAS DE LA CAL (Correspondent in Asia) Beijing

Parole at sight or imprisonment for the omicron sub-variants?

"Our city has continued to report more locally transmitted positive cases and

," he warned.

He said that residents of several major districts in Shanghai would undergo two rounds of Covid tests, from July 12 to 14, to try to control these potential new outbreaks.

The BA.5 omicron variant was first identified in China on May 13 in a 37-year-old male patient who arrived in Shanghai from Uganda.

This variant has shown a high level of transmission and the ability to escape vaccine immunity.

According to one of the experts who advises the city authorities, Yuan Zhengan, vaccination is still effective in preventing this variant of covid-19.

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