is this an alpha variant that jumped to some other host, perhaps one like a bat or similar that has notably rapid evo due to sloppy immune systems and big colony structure, and then jumped back.
this might explain why we have not seen it for a while and the seeming lack of discernable ancestors. perhaps we're looking for them in the wrong place?
this is just a potential hypothesis, but does seem to have plausible alignment with the data.
second possible consideration:
could this have been animal host mediated?
is this an alpha variant that jumped to some other host, perhaps one like a bat or similar that has notably rapid evo due to sloppy immune systems and big colony structure, and then jumped back.
this might explain why we have not seen it for a while and the seeming lack of discernable ancestors. perhaps we're looking for them in the wrong place?
this is just a potential hypothesis, but does seem to have plausible alignment with the data.