29 Oct 2021 17:49

Russia detects 5 cases of more contagious AY.4.2 sub-variant of coronavirus Delta variant - expert

MOSCOW. Oct 29 (Interfax) - Russia has detected five cases of a new sub-variant of the Delta variant of the novel coronavirus, designated as AY.4.2, including three in Moscow and two in Tatarstan, Kamil Khafizov, head of a team exploring new diagnostics methods at the Epidemiology Research Institute under Russia's consumer protection and public health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, said in an interview.

"Five isolates of the new coronavirus belonging to the AY.4.2 sub-variant of the Delta lineage and bearing all significative genetic distinctions have been detected in Russia. Three of them have been uncovered in Moscow and the Moscow region and the other two obtained from patients in Kazan and the village of Bogatiye Saby, the Republic of Tatarstan," Khafizov told journalists on Friday.