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‘This virus has fooled us before’: Here’s how Fauci predicts stealth Omicron will spread across the U.S.

The BA.2 subvariant of COVID, known as ‘stealth Omicron,’ is on the rise in Europe, Asia and, more recently, the U.S.—accounting for roughly 30% of all new infections this week, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The spectre of a new COVID wave, caused by yet another mutation of the coronavirus is troubling. But, according to the White House’s top medical advisor, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the spread of stealth Omicron likely won’t be as disastrous as previous waves.

Is stealth Omicron more contagious?
On Sunday, Fauci told ABC’s This Week that the subvariant was between 50% and 60% more transmissible than original Omicron—which was already the most virulent form of COVID yet.

“The bottom line is we’ll likely see an uptick in cases, as we’ve seen in the European countries, particularly the U.K.,” Fauci said, adding that he doesn’t think an “uptick” will evolve into a full-blown “surge.”

The stealth Omicron subvariant has already become the dominant form of COVID worldwide, the World Health Organization (WHO) says, accounting for 86% of all COVID infections in the past month. But, in the U.S., stealth Omicron only accounts for roughly 30% of total new cases, which means the subvariant still has room for growth.''