PQ.2 - The Spawn of NB.1.8.1 - The New SARS-CoV-2 Super Variant with Potential to Spread Like Wildfire - Are We Ready for the Next Wave?
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team May 21, 2025 8 hours, 20 minutes ago
Medical News: A New Contender Emerges in the SARS-CoV-2 Lineage
On May 20, 2025, variant hunter Dr Xu Zou from Tsinghua Univeristy(@xz_keg) dropped a bombshell on X, announcing the rise of a new SARS-CoV-2 sub-lineage, designated PQ.2, within the NB.1.8.1 family. This variant, which has already reached a staggering 30% prevalence in Hong Kong, is outpacing its parent strain by 30%, raising alarm bells among global health experts. The defining mutation, Orf3a:W193R, is a game-changer, potentially altering the virus's behavior in ways that could challenge existing immunity and treatment strategies.
https://x.com/xz_keg/status/1924823218554339654
https://github.com/sars-cov-2-variants/lineage-proposals/issues/2559
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PQ.2 - The Spawn of NB.1.8.1 - The New SARS-CoV-2 Super Variant with Potential to Spread Like
Wildfire - Are We Ready for the Next Wave?
What Makes PQ.2 So Concerning?
According to this Medical News report, PQ.2’s rapid spread is fueled by its 38% growth advantage over other NB.1.8.1 sub-lineages, as illustrated in a detailed graph shared by Zou. The variant’s key mutation, Orf3a:W193R, mirrors a residue found in SARS-CoV-1, known to significantly alter the Orf3a protein’s function.
This protein plays a critical role in viral infection and immune evasion, and the W193R mutation may enhance the virus’s ability to dodge immune responses.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405580821000273
Additionally, a convergent mutation, Orf3a:S171L, further complicates the picture, as both residues are pivotal in distinguishing the functional differences between SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2.
Global Spread and Implications
PQ.2 has already been detected in multiple regions, including Canada, Germany, Singapore, South Korea, and the USA, with sequences dating back to March 9, 2025, in Hong Kong. Its rapid adaptation, as noted by X user @Nosey_MF
, suggests a "racehorse" evolution, potentially driven by immune pressure or increased transmissibility. The variant’s 24% estimated increase in transmissibility, per Zou’s data, could signal a new wave of infections, especially in regions like South-east Asia, already grappling with a surge in COVID-19 cases.
Are We Prepared for What’s Next?
As PQ.2 continues its global march, the question remains: are we ready? Health authorities must ramp up genomic surveillance and research to understand this variant’s impact on vaccine efficacy and therapeutics. The world watches with bated breath as PQ.2 races ahead—potentially heralding the next chapter in the ongoing pandemic s
aga.
For the latest COVID-19 News, keep on logging to Thailand
Medical News.
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/nb-1-8-1-the-new-sars-cov-2-variant-racing-to-dominate-is-a-new-wave-coming
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/new-sars-cov-2-variants-xfg-xfc-and-nb-1-8-1-likely-to-lead-summer-covid-19-surge-across-the-united-states
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-the-new-sars-cov-2-variant-nb-1-8-1-is-the-most-dangerous-so-far-and-poses-a-major-threat
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/coronavirus
https://www.thailandmedical.news/pages/thailand_doctors_listings
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