BA.2 now more than 90% of new COVID-19 cases in the Northeast, CDC estimates

The BA.2 sublineage of the Omicron variant is now responsible for more than 9 in 10 COVID-19 cases in the Northeast, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated Tuesday, as the region is now responding to upticks in cases and hospitalizations. 

Nationwide, prevalence of BA.2 — which has increasingly displaced the BA.1 Omicron subvariant that was behind the winter surge — is estimated at around 85.9% through the end of last week. That's up from 75.4% the week prior. 

BA.2's ascent has already led to the Food and Drug Administration revoking authorization for sotrovimab, a monoclonal antibody treatment, over concerns it wouldn't be effective against infections caused by the subvariant. GlaxoSmithKline and Vir Biotechnology say they are working on asking the FDA to greenlight resuming use of the treatment at a higher dose.