These early findings should be interpreted with caution as transmission data and dynamics can fluctuate, meaning that early findings can change quickly when new variants are identified. In India, BA.2 is rapidly replacing the Delta and Omicron BA.1 variants of Covid, BA.2 was first detected in the Philippines, About half of new cases in Denmark are caused by BA.2, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, Mother who killed her five children euthanised, Alex Murdaugh jailed for life for double murder, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus, Zoom boss Greg Tomb fired without cause, US sues Exxon over nooses found at Louisiana plant. More detail will be available in UKHSAs regular variant technical briefings. New Omicron Subvariant Is Spreading in India, U.S. The Top Symptoms of the BA.2 Variant, According to Doctors - Parade Added breakdown of cases by local authority to latest update. Further studies are underway in the UK and abroad. New Omicron BA.2 variant symptoms - What we know so far - Yahoo Life UK Omicron continues to grow faster than Delta, with an increased risk of transmission, particularly in contacts outside of the household. While prevalence remains high, make sure to wear your mask in indoor settings and take a lateral flow test before meeting others. Covid-19| 2 New Symptoms of Omicron Variant BA. 2 That Should Not be As we all work to limit the high levels of transmission of this variant over the Christmas period, we are urging people to test regularly, particularly before attending social gatherings. In some places, growth in recorded cases of the sub-variant has been sharp. COVID & Gut Health: Why Are Omicron, BA.2 Causing More - TheQuint According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 99% of viral DNA submitted to the global GISAID database as of 25 January were identified as this sub-variant. BA.2.75.2 as a new variant but singled it out as an . The rapid spread of Omicron BA.2: What studies say - Medical News Today There are differences in the populations that have received different vaccines. UKHSAs most recent variant technical briefing can be found on GOV.UK. UKHSA designated variant B.1.1.529 as a variant under investigation (VUI) on Thursday 25 November. According to Denmark's Statens Serum Institut (SSI), BA.2 infections rose to account for about half of the country's reported Covid cases in January. Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said: The latest set of analysis is in keeping with the encouraging signs we have already seen. There are thought to be subtle differences in the symptoms that BA. There is further data showing that effectiveness against symptomatic disease is significantly lower compared to the Delta variant, and wanes more quickly. [92] Reactions [ edit] Vaccine producers [ edit] The designation was made on the basis that this sub-lineage has become increasingly common in the UK in recent months, and there is some early evidence that it may have an increased growth rate in the UK compared to Delta. These are potentially biologically significant mutations which may change the behaviour of the virus with regards to vaccines, treatments and transmissibility. Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against this new variant please get your first, second, third or booster jab without delay. The population rate of people becoming infected with Omicron after having previously contracted COVID-19 has increased sharply. Omicron BA.2 (B.1.1.529.2): high potential to becoming the next What is the stealth omicron, or BA.2, variant? It includes a complete list of studies planned and already under way into the emerging variant. While growth rates can be overestimated in early analyses of a new variant, the apparent growth advantage is currently substantial. The individuals that have tested positive and their contacts are all isolating. Take a vaccine to protect yourself against COVID-19. It has since swept the globe, eventually vanquishing other variants including delta. However, it remains too early to draw any definitive conclusions on hospital severity, and the increased transmissibility of Omicron and the rising cases in the over 60s population in England means it remains highly likely that there will be significant pressure on the NHS in coming weeks. If you have symptoms take a PCR test and isolate at home until you receive a negative result. We are particularly grateful to health protection specialists and the government of South Africa for early sharing of local information on the omicron variant in an exemplary way to support global health security. They say its possible that the virus has now changed its pattern and is affecting the stomach. There are insufficient severe cases of Omicronas yetto analyse vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation, but this is more likely to be sustained, particularly after a booster. Previous updates were published by Public Health England. Taste Lost is one of the Omicron BA2 Symptoms. The full document and underlying data is available on GOV.UK. Whilst there are insufficient data to quantify either vaccine effectiveness or risk of reinfection in the UK exactly, the observed growth, case distribution and early analyses in both South Africa and the UK are consistent with some loss of immune protection against infection. A second BTN162b2 booster was previously found to be 52% and 72% effective in preventing Omicron BA.1 infection and hospitalization, respectively, in adults 60 years. As we cautiously return to Plan A, I encourage you to give yourself and your loved ones the best protection possible and Get Boosted Now. Fourteen people are reported to have died within 28 days of an Omicron diagnosis, ranging in age from 52 to 96 years old. No cases have been identified in the UK. These changes will take effect as of 1 April 2022 and will be reflected in full in future technical briefings. There is no data to suggest that BA.2 leads to more severe disease than previous Omicron sub-variants. Experts say BA.2 symptoms don't seem to be all that distinct from original Omicron (BA.1) or the immediately preceding Delta variant. As of 24 January 2022, 1,072 genomically confirmed cases of BA.2 have been identified in England and all assessments remain preliminary whilst case numbers are relatively low. The Omicron Variant of COVID-19 - WebMD UKHSA is updating its variant classification system to give a clearer indication of which variants have significant changes compared to the current dominant variant. Previous variants of concern which no longer meet the criteria will be redesignated. The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) said the BA.2 sub-lineage was already prevalent in samples it received at the end of January. Booster jabs are protecting people against infection and severe disease so I urge you to play your part in our national mission and get boosted now. The total number of confirmed cases in England is now 13. A further case has been identified in Scotland, bringing the total to 10. One dose of any vaccine was associated with a 35% reduced risk of hospitalisation among symptomatic cases with the Omicron variant, 2 doses with a 67% reduction up to 24 weeks after the seconddose and a 51% reduced risk 25 or more weeks after the seconddose. BA2 Variant is overtaking Delta and Omicron Cases at rapid speed. The COVID Omicron sub-variant BA.2, informally dubbed the "Stealth Omicron" variant, is able to reinfect people who have already had Omicron, a new study suggests. In some countries, BA.2 accounts for more than half of sequenced Omicron cases, it adds. So, like the original omicron strain (BA.1), the primary symptoms of a mild BA.2 infection are a cough, fever, fatigue and possible loss of taste or smell. After 2 doses, vaccine effectiveness was 9% and 13% respectively for BA.1 and BA.2, after 25+ weeks. The most important thing everyone can do now is to get any vaccine dose that you are eligible for it is by far the most effective action you can take to protect yourself, your families and your communities. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published analyses of Omicron sub-lineage BA.2. BA.2 omicron symptoms According to the CDC, the symptoms of Covid-19, including BA.2, are: Fever or chills Cough Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Fatigue Muscle or body. Even if a smaller proportion of these individuals require hospitalisation, these are still large numbers of people requiring hospital care and pressures on the NHS will increase. Check benefits and financial support you can get, Find out about the Energy Bills Support Scheme, National flu and COVID-19 surveillance report, higher risk of becoming seriously ill from respiratory infections, including COVID-19, this data should be interpreted with caution, This assessment is based on analysis of UK data, data on Omicron cases is published regularly here, Six cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant known as B.1.1.529, Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern: variant risk assessments, Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 variants: technical briefings, Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for local government, let fresh air in if meeting others indoors, wear a face covering or a face mask, particularly if you are in crowded and enclosed spaces. The most common omicron-related symptoms are: Cough. What We Know about Omicron's BA.2 Variant So Far Thanks to the expertise of scientists at UKHSA and partner organisations, were able to respond quickly to new variations of the virus. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published its latest COVID-19 variant technical briefing. Face coverings in crowded indoor spaces and hand washing will help to reduce transmission of infection and are especially important if you have any respiratory symptoms. Thats why its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately.. Everybody who is contacted or has symptoms should take a PCR test as soon as possible, even if they have received a positive COVID-19 PCR test within the last 90 days. However, one must note, these are only early stage symptoms. Please make sure to wear a mask in line with government guidance, including on public transport and in shops, to help break the chains of transmission and slow the spread of this new variant. Well be undertaking further analysis to investigate the small rise in the number of children admitted to hospital but currently coronavirus (COVID-19) poses a very low health risk to children and infants. Analysis from routine contact tracing data indicates that transmission is likely to be higher among contacts of BA.2 cases in households (13.4%) than those for contacts of other Omicron cases(10.3%) in the period 27 December 2021 to 11 January 2022. As the coronavirus continues to evolve, a new highly contagious Omicron variant is appearing in India and other nations, including the United States, experts say.. UKHSA continues to examine all available data relating to SARS-CoV-2 variants in the UK and abroad. All age groups are affected, including the 75s and over, who are due a spring booster jab to top up protection. Over 40% of hospital admissions were in London. The analysis shows that coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the UK are primarily made up of BQ.1 and its sublineages, consistent with the UKHSA risk assessment published in October. Covid: Rise in UK infections driven by BA.2 Omicron variant Our exceptional vaccine rollout means the number of people severely affected by COVID-19 is low, and the UKs innovation and research has discovered life-saving treatments for those most at risk from COVID-19. A further 3 cases have been identified in Scotland, bringing the total to 13. We now know that BA.2 has an increased growth rate which can be seen in all regions in England. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has announced the emerging SARS-CoV-2 variant known as B.1.1.529 as a variant under investigation (VUI). The Delta variant, for example, comprises 200 different sub-variants. It is therefore vital that people continue to exercise caution in order to limit the transmission of the virus. Vaccine efficacy analysis continues to show lower effectiveness for symptomatic Omicron disease. Currently, no experimental data has been reported about BA.2 and BA.3. So far, there have been 717 V-22OCT-01 sequences uploaded from the UK to the international GISAID database. In this analysis, the risk of hospitalisation is lower for Omicron cases with symptomatic or asymptomatic infection after 2 and 3 doses of vaccine, with an 81% (95% confidence interval 77 to 85%) reduction in the risk of hospitalisation after 3 doses compared to unvaccinated Omicron cases. Two major BA.2 variant symptoms include dizziness and fatigue, as I wrote for the Deseret News. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published the latest Variant Technical Briefing. What are the symptoms of BA.2? A separate UK study also found higher transmissibility for BA.2 compared to BA.1. Dr Meera Chand, Director of Clinical and Emerging Infection at UKHSA, said: It is not unexpected to see new variants of SARS-CoV-2 emerge. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has identified 75 further cases of COVID-19 with mutations consistent with B.1.1.529 in England, in addition to the previous 29 confirmed cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant known as B.1.1.529. AstraZeneca was the main vaccine used early in the programme in care homes and among those in clinical risk groups. Approximately half of PCR tests in the UK are able to detect SGTF. Data for the devolved administrations will follow in due course. Things you can choose to do are: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has elevated the classification of the COVID-19 variants Omicron BA.4 and Omicron BA.5 to variants of concern (VOCs) on the basis of observed growth. Work is underway to identify any links to travel to Southern Africa. A preliminary assessment did not find evidence of a difference in vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease for BA.2 compared to BA.1. As of 30 November 2021, there are 22 confirmed cases of Omicron (B.1.1.529), identified through sequencing or genotyping in England. This analysis excludes individuals with confirmed previous COVID-19 infection. Both are variants in the Omicron family. Work is underway to identify any links to travel. Symptoms of BA.2 appear to largely mirror those of the original version of the omicron variant: an upper respiratory illness that causes sore throat, cough, congestion, headache and fatigue. This edition includes an update on the current circulating lineages, including several cases of Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 which have been detected in the UK. The same happened with Omicron, which includes the lineages BA.1, BA.2, BA.3 and B.1.1.529. It is the best defence we have against this highly transmissible new variant. Francois Balloux, Professor of Computational Systems Biology and director of the UCL Genetics Institute, said that BA.1 and BA.2 "can be considered as two epidemiologically largely equivalent sub-lineages of Omicron". This analysis shows you are up to 8 times more likely to end up in hospital as a result of COVID-19 if you are unvaccinated. You can change your cookie settings at any time. Typical meningitis symptoms include neck stiffness or pain, numbness, tingling, and sensitivity to light. BA.2.2 variant symptoms: What are the new COVID symptoms? - Deseret News More evidence is needed to know whether this is due to changes in the virus behaviour or to epidemiological conditions. Neither BQ.1 nor XBB have been designated as variants of concern and UKHSA is monitoring the situation closely, as always. Positive tests with sufficient virus detected from people arriving in the UK are sent for confirmation through Whole Genome Sequencing, regardless of the presence or absence of SGTF. UKHSA Chief Medical Advisor, Dr Susan Hopkins said: It is increasingly evident that Omicron is highly infectious and there is emerging laboratory and early clinical evidence to suggest that both vaccine-acquired and naturally acquired immunity against infection is reduced for this variant. Updated analysisshows theadditional incremental benefit from each vaccine exposureincluding for boosters, even in those who have had prior infection. The majority of these cases are located in London and the South East. Experts in Kolkata say that BA.2 symptoms are mostly associated with abdomen and stomach instead of cough or shortness of breath. It showed that the AstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines provided much lower levels of protection against symptomatic infection compared to the protection that they provide against Delta. This suggests that, as immunity begins to wane, these newly emerging BA.2 variants may fuel future waves of SARS-CoV-2 infection. There is insufficient data to make any assessment of protection against severe disease, or to assess the severity of illness caused by Omicron. We have also learnt that BA.2 has a slightly higher secondary attack rate than BA.1 in households. Since the middle of February, this growth rate has settled at approximately 75% higher than other circulating Omicron lineages in England. The early observations for 2 doses of AstraZeneca are particularly likely to be unreliable as they are based on small numbers and are likely to reflect an older population and a population with more co-morbidities than those given the Pfizer vaccine. Any variants showing evidence of spread are rapidly assessed. Where individuals are identified as being a possible or probable case of Omicron, their close contacts will be contacted and advised they are required to isolate for 10 days, regardless of whether they have been vaccinated or received a negative COVID-19 test result. While evidence is still emerging, so far it does not appear this variant causes more severe disease or renders the vaccines currently deployed any less effective. However, the preliminary data showed effectiveness against the new variant appears to increase considerably in the early period after a booster dose, providing around 70% to 75% protection against symptomatic infection. The individuals that have tested positive and their contacts are all isolating. Currently, the Omicron variant has BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, and B.1.1.529 sub-variants, of which the BA.1 was dominant a few months before, and scientists have recently warned about the BA.2 sub-variant . That's because there could be cross-immunity - an infection with BA.1 could offer some protection against BA.2. At the moment there is much that is not yet clear. Omicron BA.2.75, the variant derived from the BA.2 lineage which was identified internationally earlier this month, has now been categorised as a separate variant and given the. It remains vital that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets aPCRtest immediately. Following the first 2 confirmed cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant known as B.1.1.529 on 27 November, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has identified one further case of COVID-19 with mutations consistent with B.1.1.529 in the UK. SGTF is a useful indicator of the presence of Omicron, because as a rule Delta cases have the S-gene and Omicron cases do not. Everyone over 18 is now able to walk into a vaccine centre, so do not hesitate to get yours. People aged 75 and over remain at particular risk of severe disease if they are not up to date with their vaccinations. We have started to see cases where there are no links to travel, suggesting that we have a small amount of community transmission. Fast-spreading new Covid stealth Omicron BA.2 variant and symptoms Spector shared a list of symptom prevalence from people who had tested positive for COVID, most of whom were estimated to have caught BA.2, he said. More recent data on Omicron cases is published regularly here. This paper can be found as a pre-print, and the data is referred to in the latest vaccine surveillance report. A NEW Covid-19 Omicron sub-variant is spreading across Ireland and is the most infectious strain yet. A growth rate potentially compatible with the eventual replacement of the current dominant variant. Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Advisor at UKHSA, said: This latest set of analysis once again demonstrates that a booster dose of the vaccine provides you with significant protection against hospitalisation from Omicron. Please take up this offer as soon as you are eligible to protect yourself, your families and your communities. Omicron Subvariant - BA.2.75 | Narayana Health Wear a mask in crowded places, including public transport and shops, to ensure we all help break the chains of transmission and slow the spread of this new variant. BA.2 Symptoms Not That Different From Omicron, Delta. BA.2 variant: Everything we know about the new Covid strain - Metro A further 16 cases have been identified in Scotland, bringing the total in Scotland to 29. The analysis looked at 581 people with confirmed Omicron. Data by variant related to intensive care unit admissions is presented and an analysis into the effect of the recent surge of Omicron cases in care homes is also available in the latest technical briefing. UKHSA, in partnership with scientific bodies across the globe, is constantly monitoring the status of SARS-CoV-2 variants as they emerge and develop worldwide. It has been designated a "variant under investigation" by British health authorities, meaning they are keeping a close watch on it, but are not overly concerned by it. The risk assessment also suggests that Omicron displays a reduction in protection offered by having had a previous infection or vaccination. BA.2 infections in Germany are also growing faster than BA.1 and Delta, according to Dr Meera Chand, Covid-19 director at the UKHSA. UKHSAis acting to get scientific information available as quickly as possible in order to inform the right balance of interventions to prevent transmission and protect lives. UKHSA is undertaking further detailed studies. Omicron BA.2 lacks the genetic deletion on the spike protein which produces S-gene target failure (SGTF) in some polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, which has been used as a proxy for Omicron cases previously. Following the change in JCVI advice today, a booster dose for everyone over 18 years is now recommended and will be available at a minimum of 3 months from your last primary course jab. Dr Jenny Harries, Chief Executive ofUKHSA, said: We are continuing our efforts to understand the effect of this variant on transmissibility, severe disease, mortality, antibody response and vaccine efficacy. There is currently insufficient evidence to draw conclusions about growth advantage or other properties of this variant. Where variant information was available, the majority of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions from 24 November 2021 to 19 January 2022 had Delta infections. Overall, data shows significant reductions in neutralisation against several of the newly emergent variants (BA.2.75.2, BA.2.3.20 and BJ.1), compared to BA.2, BA.4 and the dominant BA.5. Currently there are 18 UK samples in GISAID, out of a global total of 1,086; 639 samples have been uploaded from Singapore, and it is thought that XBB may be a factor in the recent spike in cases there. Among those who had received 2 doses of Pfizer or Moderna, effectiveness dropped from around 65 to 70% down to around 10% by 20 weeks after the seconddose. There are also hybrid strains, such as XE, which is a combination of BA.1 and BA.2 By Alex Finnis People suffering From the Omicron BA2 variant said they had fever and body Aches. However, any stay in hospital for a child is too long if youre a parent and its important we all take precautions to avoid the spread of infection. India is another country where BA.2 is rapidly replacing the Delta and Omicron BA.1 variant, according to molecular biologist Bijaya Dhakal. Please take up this offer as soon as you are eligible to protect yourself, your families and your communities. Studies of contacts show that Omicron is transmitting more effectively than Delta. As set out last week, the effectiveness of all vaccines against symptomatic infection continues to be lower in all periods against Omicron compared to Delta. While there is a suggestion that this wanes slightly after 15 weeks, protection in this age group remains high at over 85%. As viruses mutate into new variants, they sometimes split or branch off into sub-lineages. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) estimates that if Omicron continues to grow at the present rate, the variantwill become the dominant strain, accounting for more than 50% of all COVID-19 infections in the UK by mid-December.

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