What is Pirola or BA.2.86 Covid variant? After US First Lady Jill Biden tested positive for Covid-19, the focus is on the highly mutating BA.2.86 Covid strain, also known as the Pirola variant. Two cases have been detected in the US as of August 23 but experts are assessing if this new variant is causing the spike in Covid cases and hospitalisations in the US. Find out about Pirola variant symptoms, precautionary measures and more in this Business Today Visual Story.