https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/05/25/omicron-sub-variants-ba-4-and-ba-5-found-in-santa-clara-countys-wastewater-as-cases-continue-to-climb/

Two highly contagious omicron subvariants that recently swept through South Africa and sparked a rapid rise in coronavirus cases in that country have been detected in Santa Clara County’s wastewater systems, according to public health officials.

Health experts say the newly discovered subvariants — BA. 4 and BA.5 — are more transmissible than the nation’s current dominant variants — BA.2 and BA.2.12.1 — and have so far evaded immunity protection. This month, the European Centers for Disease Control recently classified the two strains as “variants of concern.”