Variant name and lineage

First Detected

Country of Origin

Number of Countries affected

Number of Mutations

Rate of Spread as compared to SARS-CoV-2

Morbidities

Note

Alpha (B.1.1.7)

09/2020

12/2020

UK

USA

52 (as of January 15, 2021)

17

43% to 82%

61% more compared to SARS-CoV-2 (HR = 1.61)

De-escalated in EU/EEA

Beta (B.1.351)

10/2020

01/2021

South Africa

USA

48

9

20% more mortality than the 1st wave in South Africa

No longer detected in EU/EEA or seen at a deficient level

Gamma (P.1)

12/2020

01/2021

Brazil++

USA

45

10

2.5 times

Not enhanced lethality

No longer detected in EU/EEA or detected at extremely low level

Delta (B.1.617.2)

12/ 2020

03/2021

India

USA

163 (as of 08/24/2021

10

40%-60% more transmissible than Alpha (B.1.1.7)

VOC in May 2021

Epsilon (B.1.427 and B.1.429)

06/2020

USA

8

VOC (USA)

Zeta (P.2)

04/2020

Brazil

8

VOI

Eta (B.1.525)

11/2020

USA

16

VOI

Theta (P.3)

02/2021

Philippines

Japan

3

VOI

Iota (B.1.526)

11/2020

USA

16

VOI

Kappa (B.1.617.1)

12/2021

India

8

VOI

Lambda (C.37)

Peru

VOI

Mu (B.1.621, B1.621.1)

Columbia

VOI

Omicron (B.1.529, BA.1.1, BA.3)

11/2021

Botswana and South Africa

30

Omicron has 13 times more contagion than SARS-Cov-2 and 2.8 times more than Delta

VOC

Omicron (BA.2)

11/2021

South Africa

28

Increased

Reduced

VOI

Omicron (BA.4)

01/2022

South Africa

3

No evidence

No evidence

VOI

Omicron (BA.5)

02/2022

South Africa

3

No evidence

Unclear

VOI