Emerging Infectious Diseases (Nov 2023)

New SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant with Spike Protein Mutation Y451H, Kilifi, Kenya, March–May 2023

  • Mike J. Mwanga,
  • Arnold W. Lambisia,
  • John Mwita Morobe,
  • Nickson Murunga,
  • Edidah Moraa,
  • Leonard Ndwiga,
  • Robinson Cheruiyot,
  • Jennifer Musyoki,
  • Martin Mutunga,
  • Laura M. Guzman-Rincon,
  • Charles Sande,
  • Joseph Mwangangi,
  • Philip Bejon,
  • Lynette Isabella Ochola-Oyier,
  • D. James Nokes,
  • Charles N. Agoti,
  • Joyce Nyiro,
  • George Githinji

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2911.230894
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 29, no. 11
pp. 2376 – 2379

Abstract

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We report a newly emerged SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariant FY.4 that has mutations Y451H in spike and P42L in open reading frame 3a proteins. FY.4 emergence coincided with increased SARS-CoV-2 cases in coastal Kenya during April–May 2023. Continued SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance is needed to identify new lineages to inform COVID-19 outbreak prevention.

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