BA.2 Omicron Subvariant Can Damage Your Lungs, Cause - TheHealthSite Technical Briefing 34 contains further analysis on symptom comparison on Omicron and Delta. We are working as fast as possible to gather more evidence about any impact the new variant may have on severity of disease or vaccine effectiveness. 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. In addition, UKHSA has published data which shows the detection of cases exhibiting S-gene target failure (SGTF) in recent weeks across the country.
New Covid Omicron BA.2 variant - Two unusual symptoms to watch for Please wear face coverings in line with government guidance, let in fresh air when mixing indoors and wash your hands regularly. But at that point the sub-variant still appeared to account for less than one in 20 cases.
BA.2.75.2 Variant: What We Know About 'Centaurus,' Vaccines | Time Omicron BA.2 Variant Severity Dr Meera Chand, COVID-19 Incident Director at UKHSA, said: It is the nature of viruses to evolve and mutate, so its to be expected that we will continue to see new variants emerge as the pandemic goes on. We continue to monitor all recombinants closely, routinely through our world-leading genomic surveillance and sequencing capability. The individual is no longer in the UK, but UKHSA is carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive case visited when they were likely to have been infectious. By the summer of 2022, the BA.5 variant was the most dominant strain in the US. The five key Omicron symptoms. Studies have already shown that this virus travels to different parts of the body, therefore gut-related issues are. And even if it does become the dominant version of Omicron, it may not actually alter the trajectory of the pandemic in countries that have seen a big wave of BA.1. Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Advisor, UKHSA said: Recombinant variants are not an unusual occurrence, particularly when there are several variants in circulation, and several have been identified over the course of the pandemic to date. The latest UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) COVID-19 variant technical briefing, published today, includes updated epidemiological analysis which indicates that Omicron BA.5 has, as expected, become the dominant SARS-CoV-2 variant in the UK. 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. In some countries, BA.2 accounts for more than half of sequenced Omicron cases, it adds. UKHSA has also published analyses related to the original Omicron strain BA.1. The World Health Organization has been monitoring SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes Covid-19) since January 2020, during which time the variant Omicron has been identified, which is technically known as BA.1 or B.1.1.529.The WHO is now monitoring a sub-variant of Omicron, known as BA.2, which has been described as "stealth Omicron," because it has genetic mutations that potentially make it . 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 designation V-22JUL-01. In the most recent week of data (specimen dates from 30 November 2021 reported as of 6 December), the number of cases with SGTF has increased to 705. We have started to see cases where there are no links to travel, suggesting that we have a small amount of community transmission. As of 18 July 2022, there were 24 cases of BA.2.75 in the UK. People infected with Omicron are also less likely to experience fever or loss of taste and smell. 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. SGTF is not a 100% accurate test for Omicron and results are regularly evaluated against sequencing to ensure they are interpreted correctly. Well send you a link to a feedback form. It is still too early to determine next steps, so please stay cautious this Christmas and get your booster as soon as possible to protect yourself and your loved ones. Where individuals are identified as being a possible or probable case, their close contacts will be contacted and advised to isolate for 10 days and to take a test. It contains epidemiological data and updated analysis of COVID-19 variants currently circulating in the UK. We constantly assess the genetic diversity within the known variants of concern (VOCs) to inform our ongoing public health response to the pandemic. Of those patients admitted to hospital,17had received a booster vaccine, 74 people had 2 doses and 27 people were not vaccinated. Top of the list with a prevalence of 80. It remains vital that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets aPCRtest immediately. It is not clear where BA.2 originated, but it was first detected in the Philippines in November. Work is underway to identify any links to travel. A separate UK study also found higher transmissibility for BA.2 compared to BA.1. The analysis looked at 581 people with confirmed Omicron. Studies have also shown that Omicron infects and multiplies in the upper airways 70 times faster than the previous Delta variant. 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. A further 3 cases have been identified in Scotland, bringing the total to 13. 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. Genomes have now been uploaded from South Africa, Botswana and Hong Kong but the extent of spread is not yet determined. Added breakdown of cases by local authority to latest update. People aged 75 and over remain at particular risk of severe disease if they are not up to date with their vaccinations. UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published variant technical briefing 24. 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. 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. According to the COVID Symptom Study, the five most common symptoms are the same: Runny nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing and sore throat. UKHSA is carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive cases were likely to be infectious. 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. 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. The analysis included very small numbers of cases as only a few people in the UK currently have this variant, meaning this data should be interpreted with caution until more cases have been studied. After 2 doses, vaccine effectiveness was 9% and 13% respectively for BA.1 and BA.2, after 25+ weeks. 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. It is critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately. Delta remains the predominant variantin England, accounting for over 99% of all COVID-19 cases. Although there was a rapid increase in SARS-CoV-2 infections in care homes during December 2021 in line with case rises in the community, there has not been an associated increase in hospital admissions. However, a small change may be enough to cause a difference in the virus properties in some circumstances. More recent data on Omicron cases is published regularly here. 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. Hospital admissions are increasing, and we cannot risk the NHS being overwhelmed.
BA.2 version of omicron is rising in the U.S., but experts remain The first genomes of this variant were uploaded to the international GISAID database on 22 November. So far, there is insufficient evidence to determine whether BA.2 causes more severe illness than Omicron BA.1, but data is limited and UKHSA continues to investigate. Please take up this offer as soon as you are eligible to protect yourself, your families and your communities. 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. While growth rates can be overestimated in early analyses of a new variant, the apparent growth advantage is currently substantial. UKHSA has performed an initial laboratory evaluation of the current lateral flow devices (LFDs) for COVID-19 in current use in the UK. BA.2 continues to demonstrate a substantial growth advantage. One case is located in Camden, London, and one case is located in Wandsworth, London. We urge these people in particular to get up-to-date. BA.2 is believed to be far more contagious than the earlier Omicron strain, and was blamed for a fresh surge in Denmark. UKHSA will continue to monitor the situation closely as a matter of routine, as we do all data relating to SARS-CoV-2 variants both in the UK and internationally.