“The preliminary finding of this new sub-lineage in Botswana has been designated as Omicron BA.4 and BA.5,” Dr Christopher Nyanga, the country´s Ministry of Health and Wellness Permanent Secretary, said in a statement.
The variant was detected among four people – two residents and two non-residents – aged between 30 and 50 years, with a recent travel history.
The four cases are currently being monitored to gather more information about the potential impact on disease spread and severity, he said.
“The quartet are fully vaccinated and have been experiencing only mild symptoms,” Dr Nyanga said.
He added that the new variant has also been reported in three other countries. He, however, did not name the countries.