However, one must note, these are only early stage symptoms. It is critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately. This is still a very small number of cases but is being investigated carefully to understand whether it is related to travel, any other variant or whether there is evidence of spread of Omicron beginning in the community. However, cases of the variant continue to rise at an extraordinary rate already surpassing the record daily number in the pandemic. 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. This is very encouraging. 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. And in England, more than 1,000 confirmed cases of BA.2 have been identified, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). 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. We are continuing to monitor the data closely. The Omicron variant of Covid-19 includes the lineages BA.1, BA.2, BA.3 and B.1.1.529. A number of Omicron variants are currently circulating in England, many of which have acquired mutations which may produce a degree of immune escape. Since the middle of February, this growth rate has settled at approximately 75% higher than other circulating Omicron lineages in England. There is no data to suggest that BA.2 leads to more severe disease than previous Omicron sub-variants. The total number of confirmed cases in England is now 22. 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. According to the COVID Symptom Study, the five most common symptoms are the same: Runny nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing and sore throat. Data for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is not included in the UKHSA Technical Briefing. 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. In some countries, BA.2 accounts for more than half of sequenced Omicron cases, it adds. There are simple things you can do in your daily life that will help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections and protect those at highest risk. 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. If the growth rate and doubling time continue at the rate we have seen in the last 2 weeks, we expect to see at least 50% of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases to be caused by Omicron variant in the next 2 to 4 weeks. 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. Please take up this offer as soon as you are invited to protect yourself, your families and your communities. Of these, 20 were in England, 3 in Scotland and 1 in Wales. 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. Where variant information was available, the majority of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions from 24 November 2021 to 19 January 2022 had Delta infections. Scratchy throat. One of the most common symptoms of the Omicron subvariant BA.2 is nausea. Trends in SGTF over and time are however affected by the coverage of laboratories contributing to this surveillance data. Experts say BA.2 symptoms don't seem to be all that distinct from original Omicron (BA.1) or the immediately preceding Delta variant. Getting your booster jab remains the most effective way of protecting yourself and others from infection and severe disease. Omicron BA.4 and Omicron BA.5 were designated as variants of concern on 18 May on the basis of an apparent growth advantage over the previously-dominant Omicron BA.2 variant. As with any other coronavirus (COVID-19) variant, the vast majority do not confer any advantage to the virus and die out relatively quickly. This will include analysing live samples of the new variant in our laboratories to investigate properties such as response to current vaccines. The original Delta variant remains overwhelmingly dominant in the UK, making up approximately 99.8% of all cases. We have also learnt that BA.2 has a slightly higher secondary attack rate than BA.1 in households. 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. People infected with Omicron are also less likely to experience fever or loss of taste and smell. This increased to 63% for BA.1 and 70% for BA.2 at 2 weeks following a third vaccine. Everyone over 18 is now able to walk into a vaccine centre, so do not hesitate to get yours. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has released variant technical briefing 50. UKHSA scientists are urging anyone who has not had all the vaccines they are eligible for to make sure that they get them as soon as possible. Whilst the impact of these variants is uncertain, the variant classification system aims to identify potential risk as early as possible. Read about our approach to external linking. A preliminary assessment did not find evidence of a difference in vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease for BA.2 compared to BA.1. In the last week, VUI-21OCT-01 accounted for approximately 6% of all Delta cases. However, vaccinated people are still less likely to get infected than unvaccinated individuals, and they are also less likely to pass it on. The proportion of test results displaying SGTF has been very low in recent months but an increase has been observed in the past week. UKHSA has also published a breakdown of confirmed Omicron cases and SGTF cases by local authority. As always, the booster vaccine remains the best protection against infection. Well send you a link to a feedback form. 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. 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. 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. Latest updates on SARS-CoV-2 variants detected in the UK. The worst symptom is a "throat on fire," said University of California, San Francisco's Dr. Peter Chin-Hong. 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. 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. UKHSA has updated its stay at home guidance and non-household contacts guidance to reflect changes to self-isolation requirements for contacts of people who have been identified as a suspected or confirmed case of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. 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. As prevalence increases, its more important than ever that we all remain alert, take precautions, and ensure that were up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations, which remain our best form of defence against the virus. 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. Apart from dizziness and fatigue, some other signs of BA.2 Omicron Variants include: Fever and body aches Loss of taste Nausea or Vomiting Abdominal pain Fever Extreme fatigue Coughing Sore throat Muscular fatigue Elevated heart rate Breathless in severe cases readmore End of Story The individuals who have tested positive and their contacts have been asked to self-isolate. 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. 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). Its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately. 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. It is testament to the diligence and scientific expertise of my colleagues at UKHSA, and the genomic sequencing capacity developed through the pandemic, that this new variant has been identified and analysed so quickly. To date, there have been 426 cases of Omicron BA.2 confirmed by Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS), with the earliest dated 6 December 2021. People suffering From the Omicron BA2 variant said they had fever and body Aches. Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said: The latest set of analysis is in keeping with the encouraging signs we have already seen. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published the latest Variant Technical Briefing. The guidance on vaccination is changing to help all of us bolster our defences in the face of this new variant. Dr Chand said: "So far, there is insufficient evidence to determine whether BA.2 causes more severe illness than Omicron BA.1. The BA.2 variant is a sibling of the BA.1, which swept across the country over Christmas. While in the UK, the individual was in Westminster, London. Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against this new variant please get your first, second, third or booster jab without delay. Whilst Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 are in the early stages of growth in the UK, analysis of the available data suggests that they are likely to have a growth advantage over the currently-dominant Omicron BA.2 variant. 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 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. Night sweats Scratchy throat Dry cough Mild muscle aches In data published by the UKHSA on January 14, they found that NHS test and trace data revealed a loss of smell or taste was reported less. We have started to see cases where there are no links to travel, suggesting that we have a small amount of community transmission. The areas with the largest number of confirmed cases are London (146) and the South East (97). There is currently no data on the severity of BA.2. None of these cases are known to have been hospitalised or died. The data suggests this risk is significantly reduced following a booster vaccine, so I urge everyone to take up their booster when eligible. 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. . UKHSA is monitoring this closely. Now more countries, particularly in Asia and Europe, are reporting an increase in cases driven by BA.2. So far there is not enough evidence to draw conclusions about transmissibility, severity or vaccine effectiveness. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published the latest variant technical briefing. Neither have currently been designated as variants of concern. SGTF is not a 100% accurate test for Omicron and results are regularly evaluated against sequencing to ensure they are interpreted correctly. Many people who have Omicron say it feels like a common cold, and here are the 8 early warning signs you need to look out for. 2023 BBC. Earlier COVID-19 variants affected the lung tissue more and had a higher likelihood of causing pneumonia and other severe outcomes. They also say that Omicron symptoms are typically mild, and herd immunity is at . A NEW Covid-19 Omicron sub-variant is spreading across Ireland and is the most infectious strain yet. They are our best defence and we have turbocharged our rollout programme inviting 7 million more people over the age of 40 to get their booster jab so even more people get protection from this disease. Cases have been confirmed through whole genome sequencing in all 9 regions of England. It is one for the scientists to watch, rather than for the public to be alarmed about at this stage. A growth rate potentially compatible with the eventual replacement of the current dominant variant. 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. UKHSA is carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive cases were likely to be infectious. 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. In the UK, 38 cases of XF have been identified, though none have been seen since mid February. Take a vaccine to protect yourself against COVID-19. The vaccination status was unknown for 6 people, while 8 had received a single dose. As viruses mutate often and at random, it is not unusual for small numbers of cases to arise featuring new sets of mutations. Dont worry we wont send you spam or share your email address with anyone. Any variants showing evidence of spread are rapidly assessed. Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against this new variant so please get your first, second, third or booster jab as soon as you are eligible to protect yourself, your families and your communities. Both have links to travel to Southern Africa. The study also showed evidence to suggest that the BA.2 sub-variant is better able to evade vaccines. You have accepted additional cookies. Recent studies suggest that BA.2 has a. UKHSA continues to examine all available data relating to SARS-CoV-2 variants in the UK and abroad. As of 30 November 2021, there are 22 confirmed cases of Omicron (B.1.1.529), identified through sequencing or genotyping in England. In a subgroup analysis of 4,800 people who were triple-vaccinated and infected with an omicron variant, the authors found that people with BA.2 were 64 percent more likely than BA.1-infected . Its not too late to catch up if youve missed boosters, or even first doses so please take your recommended vaccines. BA.2 Symptoms Not That Different From Omicron, Delta. There will be a coprimary endpoint : Neutralizing antibody titers against the SARS-CoV-2 variant of most prominent public health interest according to pandemic evolution (among D614G, B.1.351, Omicron sub-variants BA.4-5, BQ1.1 and XBB or another recent variant) and against one of the variant targeted by the vaccines. As previously published, data continues to show vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation for Omicron remains high. UKHSA is carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive cases were likely to be infectious. This is early-stage analysis and we continue to monitor the data hour by hour. Two major BA.2 variant symptoms include dizziness and fatigue, as I wrote for the Deseret News. UKHSAs latest National flu and COVID-19 surveillance report indicates that the increase in COVID-19 case rates and hospitalisations continues to show signs of slowing. More evidence is needed to know whether this is due to changes in the virus behaviour or to epidemiological conditions. The data once again shows that coming forward for your jab, particularly your third dose, is the best way of protecting yourself and others against infection and severe disease. There will be no other categorisation of variants, including no variant under investigation (VUI) category. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has identified 8 further cases of COVID-19 with mutations consistent with B.1.1.529 in England, in addition to the previous 5 confirmed cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant known as B.1.1.529. BA.2 continues to demonstrate a substantial growth advantage. Although hospitalisations and deaths remain low, cases are still high in some areas and some age groups so its important that we continue to act cautiously as restrictions are lifted. 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 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. Its 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. Vaccine effectiveness (VE) against Omicron has again been updated in this weeks briefing. 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. 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. 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. The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) said the BA.2 sub-lineage was already prevalent in samples it received at the end of January. Please take up this offer as soon as you are eligible to protect yourself, your families and your communities. In addition, UKHSA has published data which shows the detection of cases exhibiting S-gene target failure (SGTF) in recent weeks across the country. One study has suggested that it may be difficult to identify this variant . As of 18 July 2022, there were 24 cases of BA.2.75 in the UK. There can be several reasons for growth advantage, but in the case of BA.4 and BA.5, laboratory data suggests a degree of immune escape which is likely to contribute. This particular recombinant, XE, has shown a variable growth rate and we cannot yet confirm whether it has a true growth advantage. So how worried should we be about this emerging variant? [92] Reactions [ edit] Vaccine producers [ edit] For the first time, this data includes analysis on vaccine effectiveness 15+ weeks after the booster dose. 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. If you have any symptoms of a respiratory infection, and a high temperature or feel unwell, try to stay at home or away from others especially those who are elderly or vulnerable. If you have symptoms take a PCR test and isolate at home until you receive a negative result. 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. Work is underway to identify any links to travel. After 2 doses, vaccine effectiveness was 9% and 13% respectively for BA.1 and BA.2, after 25+ weeks. Here is what we know about it. Its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets aPCRtest immediately. UKHSAwill continue to carry out laboratory and epidemiological investigations to better understand the characteristics of this variant. Updated Jan. 27, 2023 The omicron subvariant of COVID-19, BA.5, became one of the dominant strains of the virus in the fall of 2022 in the U.S. At that time, it was the most easily spread strain to date and is able to evade immunity from COVID infection and vaccination. 1. In total, 40 countries have uploaded 8,040 BA.2 sequences to GISAID since 17 November 2021. The five most common symptoms of Omicron are: runny nose;. 34 Subsequent studies that were performed in periods when a mix of BA.1, BA.2, BA.4, and BA.5 viruses circulated have reported low effectiveness of a second booster against . As is routine for any new variants under investigation,UKHSAis carrying out laboratory and epidemiological investigations to better understand the characteristics of this variant. There are small numbers of cases in the UK and this designation is intended to allow investigation into the specific properties of this variant. 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. It contains epidemiological data and updated analysis of COVID-19 variants currently circulating in the UK. 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. There is still uncertainty around the significance of the changes to the viral genome, and further analyses will now be undertaken. It is already the dominant variant in several states and likely drove the country's recent third wave of infections. India is another country where BA.2 is rapidly replacing the Delta and Omicron BA.1 variant, according to molecular biologist Bijaya Dhakal. 1 case has been identified in Wales. This sub-lineage, which was designated by Pangolin on 6 December 2021, does not have the spike gene deletion at 69-70 that causes S-gene target failure (SGTF), which has previously been used as a proxy to detect cases of Omicron. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published a new variant technical briefing describing ongoing work on the Omicron variant. Our data shows that LFD tests are similarly able to detect COVID-19 in individuals who have been exposed to Omicron as in those exposed to previous variants. 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. This suggests that, as immunity begins to wane, these newly emerging BA.2 variants may fuel future waves of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The individual tested positive after travel to the UK and is linked to travel to Southern Africa. 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. At the moment there is much that is not yet clear. 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. UKHSA is carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive cases were likely to be infectious. It contains updated analysis on Omicron hospitalisation risk, vaccine efficacy against symptomatic disease from Omicron, and the COVID-19 reinfection rate. Data for the devolved administrations will follow in due course. 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. 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. It has since swept the globe, eventually vanquishing other variants including delta. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published a new variant technical briefing containing an updated Omicron risk assessment, alongside analysis on vaccine efficacy, sub-lineages and symptoms. UKHSA has also published analyses related to the original Omicron strain BA.1. UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published variant technical briefing 24. This is more promising data which reinforces just how important vaccines are. 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. In severe cases, the SpO2 Level may also decrease. Studies of contacts show that Omicron is transmitting more effectively than Delta. 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. Hospital admissions are increasing, and we cannot risk the NHS being overwhelmed. 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. 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. But at that point the sub-variant still appeared to account for less than one in 20 cases. The technical briefing also includes early analysis of vaccine effectiveness against the Omicron variant compared to Delta. However, it should serve as objective evidence that this pandemic is not over. Headache. moderate COVID-19 symptoms who are at high risk of . Xi Jinping is unveiling a new deputy - why it matters, Bakhmut attacks still being repelled, says Ukraine, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61, The children left behind in Cuba's mass exodus, Snow, Fire and Lights: Photos of the Week. The updated risk assessment includes indicators for infection severity in both adults and children. Increased case detection through focused contact tracing has led to more cases of the Omicron variant being identified and confirmed, as we have seen in other countries globally. We expect the vaccines to show higher protection against the serious complications of COVID-19, so if you havent yet had your first 2 doses please book an appointment straight away. This will include analysing live samples of the new variant in our laboratories to investigate properties such as response to current vaccines. Delta remains the predominant variantin England, accounting for over 99% of all COVID-19 cases. 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.