Milton, Del.- A new strain of the omicron variant is starting to spread.
BA.4 and BA.5 are new subvariants of the omicron variant of COVID-19. Doctors say they were first discovered in July, and now seems more contagious. You can get infected by it even if you are vaccinated or have previously had the virus.
The CDC says half of the current COVID-19 cases are the BA.5 variant. Symptoms include runny nose, sore throat, headache and fatigue. Hospitalizations are up roughly three percent nationwide, though they are lower than previous surges.
A vaccine for the omicron variant is expected this fall, and BA.5 is not thought to be more fatal than previous variants at this time.