The Star Tribune reports that Minnesota have detected first cases of Covid infection with new BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants that reportedly capable infecting even “highly immunized people”.

Quoting the the latest data from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) the Tribune write “Genomic sequencing of a sampling of positive coronavirus infections found BA.4 in four cases and BA.5 in one case — with four involving residents outside the Twin Cities. Identified specimens involving a BA.2.12.1 subvariant, which is causing high COVID-19 levels in the Northeast now, have increased over the past week from 47 to 131.”

BA.4 and BA.5 … very efficiently escape that immunity. So they are having a major surge with BA.4 and BA.5 driving up cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

– Dr. Gregory Poland of Mayo Clinic in a podcast (source: Star Tribune)

Dr. Gregory Poland, head of Mayo Clinic’s COVID-19 vaccine research group, said in a recent podcast that the reason MN health official’s concern is that in South Africa, these two new subvariants spread rapidly in people with Covid-immunity.

• New COVID-19 variants of concern found in Minnesota

Minnesota health officials reportedly are hopeful that “high immunity levels from recent vaccinations and infections are at least reducing severe COVID-19 illnesses” writes the Tribune.

Covid hospitalizations are also reportedly increasing in recent weeks. According to Allina Health “COVID-19 positivity among symptomatic patients in the hospitals increased from about 3% in the week ending April 10 to about 16% in the week ending May 8. Among hospitalized patients with no COVID-19 symptoms, the comparable test positivity rate has increased from nearly 2% to almost 4%.”