Omicron subvariant makes up 35 pct new COVID-19 infections in U.S.

LOS ANGELES, March 22 (Xinhua) -- The BA.2 sub-lineage of the Omicron variant now makes up about 35 percent of new COVID-19 infections in the United States, according to the data updated Tuesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

This data is up from 22.3 percent a week prior, and 15.8 percent two weeks before.

The BA.2 variant is steadily gaining its hold in the country, with infections doubling in less than two weeks, according to CDC data.

Although the original Omicron variant still makes up the majority of COVID-19 infections in the country, its prevalence has dropped to 57.3 percent in the week ending March 19.

Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, said he expects "an uptick in cases" due to BA.2, but not necessarily a massive surge like other variants have caused.

Fauci told ABC on Sunday the new strain is about 50 to 60 percent more transmissible than the first Omicron strain, adding that it could take over as the dominant strain in the United States.