The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) expects a further spread of more transferrable omicron sublines. “The currently strongest growth is shown by the proportion of the BA.4 and BA.5 sublines,” writes the RKI in the Corona weekly report on Thursday evening. This suggests that these pathogens will make up the majority of the evidence in a few weeks.

According to the report, BA.5 had a share of 10 percent in a sample from the week before last – the doubling continued from week to week. With BA.4 it is 2.1 percent, which is also roughly double the previous values.

“In all likelihood, these two sublines will spread more, so that there may be an overall increase in the number of infections and a renewed increase in infection pressure on vulnerable groups of people as early as summer,” warns the RKI. Seasonal effects – which actually slow down the virus a bit – could not compensate for the spread of these variants if rules of conduct are no longer observed.