The new strain has several key mutations, with the most important of those occurring in the spike protein that studs the outside of the virus. There is no data to suggest that BA.2 leads to more severe disease than previous Omicron sub-variants. BA.2 version of omicron is rising in the U.S., but experts remain COVID-19 variants identified in the UK - latest updates - GOV.UK Due to the early nature of the findings, all estimates are subject to significant uncertainty and are subject to change. The omicron variant of the coronavirus was first detected in late 2021. Please make sure you follow all the available guidance. While BA.2 appears to be more transmissible than previous variants, there is no data yet to suggest that it is any more severe. This new mutation dubbed BA.2.75 is concerning scientists because it appears to spread fast, bypassing the protection offered by COVID-19 vaccines and immunity from previous infection, the Associated Press reported Monday. Dr Meera Chand, Director of Clinical and Emerging Infections at UKHSA, said: The reclassification of these variants as variants of concern reflects emerging evidence on the growth of BA.4 and BA.5 internationally and in the UK. Omicron Infection Timeline: Exposure to Immunity - Health Immunogenicity and Reactogenicity of the Beta-variant Recombinant Aside from all of the usual COVID symptoms, like a dry cough, a scratchy throat, fatigue, and muscle aches, the Stealth variant is thought to cause a few other distinct issues. New Covid Omicron BA.2 variant - Two unusual symptoms to watch for According to Boden-Albala said, those symptoms may include the following: Fever Chills Fatigue Cough Body aches Shortness of breath Sore throat Additionally, some people may report upper. Work from home if you are able to, wear a mask indoors around other people, and ventilate indoor spaces well. We are continuing to monitor the data closely. An estimated 78.7% of confirmed cases in England are BA.5 which was first identified in April and was designated as a Variant of Concern on 18 May. 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. BA.2 is found to be able to alarmingly reinfect patients originally infected by Omicron BA.1. The latest variant technical briefing suggests that Omicron continues to grow rapidly in all regions of England as measured by confirmed cases and S gene target failure (SGTF). Following the change in JCVI advice earlier this week, 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. UKHSA is carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive cases were likely to be infectious. It is also vital to continue with all the other precautions we have become used to throughout the pandemic keep indoor areas well ventilated, wear a face covering in enclosed spaces, and take a rapid lateral flow (or LFD) test before a situation where you may be at high risk of catching or passing on the virus. BA.2, also known as "stealth omicron," is considered a subvariant of omicron. Omicron BA.2 Variant Severity The Delta variant sub-lineage known as Delta AY.4.2 was designated a variant under investigation (VUI) by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on 20 October 2021 and has been given the official name VUI-21OCT-01. The variant technical briefing also includes updated analysis on Omicron BA.2, currently the dominant variant in the UK. Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said: The latest set of analysis is in keeping with the encouraging signs we have already seen. As with other kinds of variant, most will die off relatively quickly. More evidence is needed to know whether this is due to changes in the virus behaviour or to epidemiological conditions. Early analyses suggest an increased growth rate compared to BA.1, however, growth rates have a low level of certainty early in the emergence of a variant and further analysis is needed. According to the COVID Symptom Study, the five most common symptoms are the same: Runny nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing and sore throat. Thats why its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately. AstraZeneca was the main vaccine used early in the programme in care homes and among those in clinical risk groups. The vaccination status was unknown for 6 people, while 8 had received a single dose. For the first time, this data includes analysis on vaccine effectiveness 15+ weeks after the booster dose. However, confidence levels for severity indicators for children are low because further analysis is required to compare the risk of hospitalisation between Omicron and Delta, and to assess the clinical nature of illness in children. The individuals that have tested positive and their contacts are all isolating. The worst symptom is a "throat on fire," said University of California, San Francisco's Dr. Peter Chin-Hong. ROCHESTER, Minn. The World Health Organization designated COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, named omicron, a "variant of concern" on Nov. 26, 2021, and the first confirmed case in the U.S. was on Dec. 1, 2021. Download the data.xlsx. According to Baric, Omicron is the first SARS-CoV-2 variant to evolve in the context of mounting immunity in the populationthe result of vaccines and prior infection with other forms of the . As viruses mutate often and at random, it is not unusual for small numbers of cases to arise featuring new sets of mutations. Work is underway to identify any links to travel. An ad blocker has likely prevented this video content from loading. 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. Get vaccinated and, for those eligible, come forward for your third or booster dose as appropriate as soon as you are called. Of those with Omicron, 9.5% have had COVID-19 before, which is likely to be a substantial underestimate of the proportion of reinfections, as many prior infections will have been asymptomatic and not picked up by the analysis. Consider wearing a face covering when in crowded places. As of 30 November 2021, there are 22 confirmed cases of Omicron (B.1.1.529), identified through sequencing or genotyping in England. A number of Omicron variants are currently circulating in England, many of which have acquired mutations which may produce a degree of immune escape. 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 areas with the largest number of confirmed cases are London (146) and the South East (97). Previous variants of concern which no longer meet the criteria will be redesignated. While specific symptoms to BA.2 are not yet available, the NHS lists the main symptoms for Covid-19 as: a high temperature a new, continuous cough a. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has released a new variant technical briefing detailing updated analysis of epidemiological and genomic data relating to SARS-CoV-2 variants currently circulating in the UK, including the XBB.1.5 variant which has been increasing in the US in recent months. More recent data on Omicron cases is published regularly here. You have accepted additional cookies. Thats why its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately. Omicron BA.2 Variant Symptoms, Severity, Precautions, Mutation The sub-variant of Omicron has been detected in 57 countries now, the WHO says. Work is underway to identify any links to travel to Southern Africa. Of these, 20 were in England, 3 in Scotland and 1 in Wales. Please take up this offer as soon as you are eligible to protect yourself, your families and your communities. If you have any symptoms, take a test. Omicron Subvariant - BA.2.75 | Narayana Health However, vaccinated people are still less likely to get infected than unvaccinated individuals, and they are also less likely to pass it on. This is early-stage analysis and we continue to monitor the data hour by hour. 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. The most affected local authorities are West Northamptonshire, where there are 49 confirmed cases and 68 SGTF, and Manchester, where there are 7 confirmed cases and 61 SGTF. Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid, said: We are learning to live with this virus and thanks to our world-leading surveillance system we can rapidly detect and carefully monitor any genetic changes to COVID-19. As is routine for any new variants under investigation, UKHSAis carrying out laboratory and epidemiological investigations to better understand the properties of this variant. Data for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is not included in the UKHSA Technical Briefing. 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. They also say that Omicron symptoms are typically mild, and herd immunity is at . BA.2.75.2 variant is worrying experts. Here's why - Deseret News It is therefore absolutely critical that we all do everything that we can to help break the chains of transmission and slow the spread of this new variant. Omicron has a deletion atposition69/70of the spike proteinwhich allows it to be tracked through S gene target failure(SGTF)in some PCR tests. 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. For example, there are still a small number of cases of other variants, such as Alpha, in the UK which would also result in S-gene dropout or there is a lower amount of virus present in the sample where S-gene dropout cannot be confirmed. UKHSAis carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive cases were likely to be infectious. While there is a suggestion that this wanes slightly after 15 weeks, protection in this age group remains high at over 85%. 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. Telltale symptoms for Deltacron, Omicron, and the BA.2 Covid variants The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) can confirm that 10 people have been hospitalised with the Omicron variant in England; the individuals were diagnosed on or before admission. Since then, several sub-variants of Omicron surfaced, including BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, and BA.5. New 'stealth' Omicron subvariant presents two NEW symptoms, experts Getty Images BA.2 was. The individual tested positive after travel to the UK and is linked to travel to Southern Africa. 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. Top of the list with a prevalence of 80. Yet fears of another Omicron wave in the United States may be. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published the latest Variant Technical Briefing. COVID & Gut Health: Why Are Omicron, BA.2 Causing More - TheQuint Two-thirds with Omicron say they had Covid before. So far, vaccination means that the rise in cases is not translating to a rise in severe illness and deaths. 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. Covid 4th wave: New BA.2 variant can impact stomach and intestine, say These are some of the symptoms that you should be looking out for: High temperature. How Long Do Omicron BA.2 Symptoms Last? - Verywell Health Genomes have now been uploaded from South Africa, Botswana and Hong Kong but the extent of spread is not yet determined. Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, said: Todays new data shows how important booster jabs are to protect us against this variant. Read about our approach to external linking. Thats why its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets aPCRtest immediately. Based on the CDC's genomic surveillance, the BA.2 or stealth Omicron subvariant is responsible for most new SARS-CoV-2 infections in the U.S. BA.2 is a subvariant of the original SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (B.1.1.529), along with BA.1.1 and BA.3. UKHSA has also published a breakdown of confirmed Omicron cases and SGTF cases by local authority. 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. Covid BA.2 Omicron variant: The key symptoms to look out for 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 proportion of test results displaying SGTF has been very low in recent months but an increase has been observed in the past week. 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. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Everyone over 18 is now able to walk into a vaccine centre, so do not hesitate to get yours. These groups have been prioritised for booster doses since the start of the rollout in September to increase their protection. The risk assessment also suggests that Omicron displays a reduction in protection offered by having had a previous infection or vaccination. They say its possible that the virus has now changed its pattern and is affecting the stomach. Fourteen people are reported to have died within 28 days of an Omicron diagnosis, ranging in age from 52 to 96 years old. Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against becoming severely ill from this new variant please get your first, second, third or booster jab without delay. BA.2 Omicron Subvariant Can Damage Your Lungs, Cause - TheHealthSite Neither have currently been designated as variants of concern. 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. 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. BA.2 variant symptoms: Spokane Regional Health District Health Officer Francisco Velazquez told KREM 2 News that the BA.2 variant of the omicron variant has some unique symptoms, too. 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. These include a high temperature, a new. What are the symptoms of BA.2? This is more promising data which reinforces just how important vaccines are. Dizziness, Fatigue: Common symptoms of Stealth Omicron you - mint While on one hand, this statement gives a ray of hope that BA.2 sub variant of Omicron which was thought to be severe is mild as the BA.1 subvariant is, but on the other hand with the report of . And in England, more than 1,000 confirmed cases of BA.2 have been identified, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). The latest version raising alarms is an emerging subvariant of Omicron called BA.2. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published analyses of Omicron sub-lineage BA.2. The Omicron variant of Covid-19 includes the lineages BA.1, BA.2, BA.3 and B.1.1.529. We urge these people in particular to get up-to-date. 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. A thirddose was associated with a 68% (95% confidence interval 52 to 82%) reduced risk of hospitalisation when compared to similar unvaccinated individuals. Omicron Sub-Variant BA.2: Symptoms, Differences, And Chances Of It is very likely that we will find more cases over the coming days as we are seeing in other countries globally and as we increase case detection through focused contact tracing. Dr Chand said: "So far, there is insufficient evidence to determine whether BA.2 causes more severe illness than Omicron BA.1. None of these cases are known to have been hospitalised or died. Where variant information was available, the majority of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions from 24 November 2021 to 19 January 2022 had Delta infections. A booster dose was associated with a 74% reduced risk of hospitalisation in the first 2 to 4 weeks after vaccination, with the figure dropping to 66% 10 weeks or more after this dose. Hospital cases are also rising, but vaccines are still helping to stop many severe. 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 have started to see cases where there are no links to travel, suggesting that we have a small amount of community transmission. Because of a quirk in how it shows up in test results, we can see the numbers of suspected BA.2 doubled in the week up to 24 January. UKHSA continues to examine all available data relating to SARS-CoV-2 variants in the UK and abroad. Studies of contacts show that Omicron is transmitting more effectively than Delta. 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 . The risk assessment conducted by UKHSA together with academic partners found that CH.1.1 and XBB.1.5 are currently the variants most likely to take over from BQ.1 as the next dominant variant in the UK, unless further novel variants arise. The individuals that have tested positive and their contacts are all isolating. Vaccine effectiveness against severe disease from Omicron is not yet known but is expected to be significantly higher than protection against symptomatic disease. In total, 40 countries have uploaded 8,040 BA.2 sequences to GISAID since 17 November 2021. What Is Your Risk of Getting the Omicron BA.2 Subvariant? - Healthline UKHSAs most recent variant technical briefing includes examination of a number of recombinant variants which have been identified in the UK, as well as updated epidemiological and genomic analysis of Omicron BA.2. A preliminary assessment by UKHSA did not find a difference in vaccine effectiveness, although it said there was no data yet available on severity. The first sequences were submitted from the Philippines, and most samples have been uploaded from Denmark (6,411). 3 Common Omicron BA.2.12.1 COVID-19 Subvariant Symptoms - Good Housekeeping BQ.1 (V-22OCT-01) is a BA.5 sub-lineage which has been designated on the basis of rapid growth. If you develop any symptoms, isolate immediately and get a PCR test. What is Stealth Omicron? Symptoms of the Covid variant responsible for A further 3 cases have been identified in Scotland, bringing the total to 13. March 31, 2022. Omicron symptoms: What we know about illness caused by the new subvariants Runny nose (especially in combination with loss of smell) A runny nose is a universal sign of cold, flu and now COVID-19. Approximately half of PCR tests in the UK are able to detect SGTF. We have now identified cases in the East Midlands, East of England, London, South East and North West. 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. Infection rate corrected to one million infections a day. The best way that you can protect yourself is to come forward for your first 2 doses of vaccine, or your booster jab and do everything you can to stop onward transmission of the infection. It is vital that everyone over the age of 40 who is eligible for a booster jab comes forward as soon as possible to get increased protection against this new variant. A BA2 variant's symptoms are similar to those of Omicron. Dr Jenny Harries, Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said: Viruses mutate often and at random, and it is not unexpected that new variants will continue to arise as the pandemic goes on, particularly while the case rate remains high. Vaccine effectiveness (VE) against Omicron has again been updated in this weeks briefing. In addition, UKHSA has published data which shows the detection of cases exhibiting S-gene target failure (SGTF) in recent weeks across the country. The breakdown of cases by local authority is: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has identified 9 further cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) with mutations consistent with B.1.1.529 in England, in addition to the previous 13 confirmed cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant known as B.1.1.529. Omicron BA.2 COVID Variant Symptoms Explained As New U.S - Newsweek 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. In the UK, 38 cases of XF have been identified, though none have been seen since mid February. New studies are being undertaken to assess this further. SGTF is not a 100% accurate test for Omicron and results are regularly evaluated against sequencing to ensure they are interpreted correctly. Analyses of sequenced SGTF samples has indicated that until mid-November, more than 99% of these were Delta cases. This is not an unusual occurrence and several recombinant SARS-CoV-2 variants have been identified over the course of the pandemic. However, it is not confirmatory as there are a number of other reasons that a sample might exhibit SGTF. As of January 10 2022, 53 sequences of the BA.2 sub-lineage of Omicron had been identified in the United Kingdom. An important question is whether BA.2 or BA.3 will become a new dominating "variant of concern". All 3 subvariants have spike protein mutations of L452 and elude immunity from prior BA1 infection. This suggests that BA.5 is likely to become the dominant COVID-19 variant in the UK. "Looking at other countries where BA.2 is now overtaking, we're not seeing any higher bumps in hospitalisation than expected," the WHO's Dr Boris Pavlin says. Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against this new variant please get your first, second or booster jab without delay. Prior infection is 44% effective at preventing future infection, increasing to 71% with 3 doses of the vaccine. The first genomes of this variant were uploaded to the international GISAID database on 22 November. Wed like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. The public health advice is the same for all current variants. BA2 Variant is overtaking Delta and Omicron Cases at rapid speed. 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. Covid Omicron symptoms: new variant BQ.1.1, duration, evolution The Top Symptoms of the BA.2 Variant, According to Doctors - Parade The individuals who have tested positive and their contacts have been asked to self-isolate. Thanks to the expertise of scientists at UKHSA and partner organisations, were able to respond quickly to new variations of the virus. Dont worry we wont send you spam or share your email address with anyone. Those aged 18 to 39 should wait to be called. It was designated a variant of concern (VOC) on Saturday 27 November. Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: This data is yet more evidence that vaccines remain our best line of defence against COVID-19. The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) said the BA.2 sub-lineage was already prevalent in samples it received at the end of January. Cases have been confirmed through whole genome sequencing in all 9 regions of England. There is further data showing that effectiveness against symptomatic disease is significantly lower compared to the Delta variant, and wanes more quickly. BA.2, also coined as the "stealth" variant, is a relative of Omicron's original variant, BA.1, which tore through the Australian community over Christmas and the New Year period. UKHSA is 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.