What is causing the current surge in Covid-19 cases?

The current global surge in Covid-19 cases is believed to be caused by two new sub-variants of Covid-19 – BA.4 and BA.5.

Preliminary data from Professor Kei Sato of the University of Tokyo has indicated that BA.4 and BA.5 have the potential to sidestep antibodies from past infections or vaccination due to their mutations.

“Altogether, our investigations suggest that the risk of [these] Omicron variants, particularly BA.4 and BA.5, to global health is potentially greater than that of original BA.2,” Professor Sato told The Independent.

As it’s warned large events like Glastonbury and Notting Hill Carnival could have a big effect on Covid-19 transmission, Professor Tim Spector, of the ZOE Covid symptom study app, told The Independent: “We’re in a wave at the moment … heading towards a quarter of a million cases a day, that’s a wave already…”

“Having our NHS, which is already on its knees, working like it’s in the middle of winter, we’re getting up to 1,000 hospitalisations a day now, it’s not good news, that figure is going to go up,” he added.

What you need to know about the BA.4 and BA.5 variants and why Covid-19 cases are so high right now