The BA.2 subvariant has been referred to as stealth Omicron because it contains genetic mutations that can make it harder to distinguish from the . 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. Experts say BA.2 symptoms don't seem to be all that distinct from original Omicron (BA.1) or the immediately preceding Delta variant. Experts say BA.2 has extensive mutations and is about 40 percent more infectious than the original Omicron variant. Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against this new variant please get your first, second or booster jab without delay. Whilst the impact of these variants is uncertain, the variant classification system aims to identify potential risk as early as possible. 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. BA.2 Omicron Subvariant Can Damage Your Lungs, Cause More Severe Disease Than You Can Expect: Study BA.2 Omicron Subvariant Can Damage Your Lungs, Cause More Severe Disease Than You Can. A further 16 cases have been identified in Scotland, bringing the total in Scotland to 29. Dr Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Advisor for UKHSA, said: Ongoing variant analysis is an important part of our pandemic response. The individuals who have tested positive and their contacts are all isolating. Our advanced sequencing capabilities enable us to find variants and take rapid action to limit onward spread. A separate UK study also found higher transmissibility for BA.2 compared to BA.1. BQ.1 (V-22OCT-01) is a BA.5 sub-lineage which has been designated on the basis of rapid growth. 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. They also say that Omicron symptoms are typically mild, and herd immunity is at . By the summer of 2022, the BA.5 variant was the most dominant strain in the US. This data shows that protection against severe illness from COVID-19 remains at over 90% in those aged 65 and over up to 14 weeks after a booster dose. 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. These people are spread around the country and are a mix of age ranges between 18 to 85 years the majority had received 2 doses of vaccination. These are some of the symptoms that you should be looking out for: High temperature. Read about our approach to external linking. And in England, more than 1,000 confirmed cases of BA.2 have been identified, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). 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. UKHSAs latest analysis suggests that Omicron BA.5 is growing 35.1% faster than Omicron BA.2, while Omicron BA.4 is growing approximately 19.1% faster. There is evidence that protection against symptomatic disease wanes after the second dose of vaccine, and then improves after the booster. 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. Protection against hospitalisation from vaccines is good against the Omicron variant. No cases have been identified in the UK. We will continue to closely analyse all available biological, epidemiological and genomic evidence for any SARS-CoV-2 variant in the UK or internationally. 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. The data so far suggests an increase in overall reinfection rates, alongside an increase in first infections. As always, the booster vaccine remains the best protection against infection. Vaccine efficacy analysis continues to show lower effectiveness for symptomatic Omicron disease. They save lives and prevent serious illness. 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. This designation means that data relating to BA.2.75 will now be reported separately from other BA.2 cases. In addition, UKHSA has published data which shows the detection of cases exhibiting S-gene target failure (SGTF) in recent weeks across the country. Teams nationally and locally are working at pace to identify and trace all close contacts of every Omicron case. One individual diagnosed in hospital has sadly died. We will continue to monitor this situation closely and recommend appropriate public health measures if needed. UKHSA continues to examine all available data relating to SARS-CoV-2 variants in the UK and abroad. Now more countries, particularly in Asia and Europe, are reporting an increase in cases driven by BA.2. We urge these people in particular to get up-to-date. Following the change in Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advice yesterday, a booster dose for everyone over 18 years is now recommended at a minimum of 3 months from your last primary course jab. For some more vulnerable a third dose is available. 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 . This will include analysing live samples of the new variant in our laboratories to investigate properties such as response to current vaccines. This matches a recent study led by Oxford University and the Office for National Statistics (ONS), using data from the COVID-19 Infection Survey produced by the latter. 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. Earlier COVID-19 variants affected the lung tissue more and had a higher likelihood of causing pneumonia and other severe outcomes. "The symptoms of the Omicron variant, which includes the BA.2 lineage, and the Delta variant, are similar," says Dr. Erica Johnson, MD, the chair of the Infectious Disease Board of the . As is routine for any new variants under investigation, UKHSAis carrying out laboratory and epidemiological investigations to better understand the properties of this variant. Hospital cases are also rising, but vaccines are still helping to stop many severe. 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. The most commonly-reported symptoms with the original Omicron variant were cough, fatigue, headache, congestion, and runny nose. This includes analysing live samples of the new variant in our laboratories to investigate properties such as response to current vaccines. Analysis shows that protection against symptomatic disease 2 to 4 weeks after a booster dose ranges from around 65% to 75%, dropping to 55% to 65% at 5 to 9 weeks and 45% to 50% 10 weeks or more following the booster dose. The following are the symptoms of this subvariant: The most common symptom is a sore throat that causes dryness, itching, and pain in the throat Low-grade fever Runny nose Sneezing Mild to moderate fatigue Headache The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has identified 2 further cases of COVID-19 with mutations consistent with B.1.1.529 in England, in addition to the previous 3 confirmed cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant known as B.1.1.529 on 27 and 28 November. This is more promising data which reinforces just how important vaccines are. XBB.1.5 remains at very low prevalence in the UK, so estimates of growth are highly uncertain. It is also absolutely critical that we all do what we can to reduce transmission in the community so that we have time to administer as many booster doses as possible. Previous variants of concern which no longer meet the criteria will be redesignated. But it is worth noting that Denmark has seen similar trends in terms of hospital admissions and intensive care as the UK has, suggesting BA.2 does not mark a sea-change in severity. Of 5,153 individuals identified with an Omicron infection between 1 November and 11 December 2021, 305 were linked to a previous confirmed infection and had an interval from the previous positive test of 90 days or more. As with any other coronavirus (COVID-19) variant, the vast majority do not confer any advantage to the virus and die out relatively quickly. Evidence continues to show that Omicron is transmitting more rapidly than the dominant Delta variant. 2023 BBC. The earliest of these has a specimen date of 19 January 2022. This increased to 63% for BA.1 and 70% for BA.2 at 2 weeks following a third vaccine. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? The individuals and their households have been told to self-isolate. The individuals who have tested positive and their contacts have been asked to self-isolate. Neither have been designated as variants of concern by UKHSA. BA.2 is believed to be far more contagious than the earlier Omicron strain, and was blamed for a fresh surge in Denmark. Overall, the original Omicron lineage, BA.1, is dominant in the UK and the proportion of BA.2 cases is currently low. 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. 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. BA.1 accounts for most of the cases. "It's important to know and recognize all of the. In its early days, the variant caused an alarming spike in COVID-19 cases in South Africathey went from 300 a day in mid-November 2021 to 3,000 a day at the end of that month. Those aged 18 to 39 should wait to be called. Dr Chand said: "So far, there is insufficient evidence to determine whether BA.2 causes more severe illness than Omicron BA.1. Thanks to the expertise of scientists at UKHSA and partner organisations, were able to respond quickly to new variations of the virus. 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. The full document and underlying data is available on GOV.UK. UKHSA has performed an initial laboratory evaluation of the current lateral flow devices (LFDs) for COVID-19 in current use in the UK. UKHSA is carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive cases were likely to be infectious. Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against this new variant please get your first, second or booster jab without delay. UKHSAwill continue to carry out laboratory and epidemiological investigations to better understand the characteristics of this variant. As of 20 October, there were 15,120 cases of VUI-21OCT-01 confirmed by whole genome sequences in England since it was first detected in July. BA.2 is estimated to account for approximately 93.7% of cases in England, with the highest prevalence in the South East (96.4%) and the lowest in the East Midlands (91.1%). The latest version raising alarms is an emerging subvariant of Omicron called BA.2. That's because there could be cross-immunity - an infection with BA.1 could offer some protection against BA.2. This is very encouraging. 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. A total 637 cases of XE a recombinant of Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 have been confirmed in the UK so far. UKHSA has also released a variant risk assessment for Omicron BA.4 and BA.5, summarising the emerging epidemiology and laboratory evidence. Overall numbers of ICU admissions have decreased over time, but where data was available admissions with Omicron have increased from 9% to more than 50% in the most recent week. 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. Dr Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said: Hospitalisations always lag a few weeks behind infections, therefore it isnt surprising that we have started to see people being admitted to hospital with the Omicron variant. Thats why its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets aPCRtest immediately. 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. BA.2 continues to demonstrate a substantial growth advantage. Delta remains the predominant variantin England, accounting for over 99% of all COVID-19 cases. What are the symptoms of BA.2? The same happened with Omicron, which includes the lineages BA.1, BA.2, BA.3 and B.1.1.529. 2 or Stealth Omicron causes. We use some essential cookies to make this website work. Runny nose/congestion. When the reduced risk of hospitalisation was combined with vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease, the vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation was estimated as 52% after one dose, 72% 2 to 24 weeks after dose 2, 52% 25+ weeks after dose 2 and 88% 2 weeks after a booster dose. So far there is not enough evidence to draw conclusions about transmissibility, severity or vaccine effectiveness. Please also make sure to follow all Government guidance to reduce the spread of infection. 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. I urge you to come forward as soon as youre eligible to help keep yourself and your loved ones safe. In England, the infection rate increased in those aged 25 years to 49 years and those aged 70 years and over in the week ending 21 February 2023. You can change your cookie settings at any time. We have now identified cases in the East Midlands, East of England, London, South East and North West. None of these cases are known to have been hospitalised or died. It is the best defence we have against this highly transmissible new variant. This is not an unusual occurrence and several recombinant SARS-CoV-2 variants have been identified over the course of the pandemic. Why Alex Murdaugh was spared the death penalty, Why Trudeau is facing calls for a public inquiry, The shocking legacy of the Dutch 'Hunger Winter', Why half of India's urban women stay at home. 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 I previously reported, omicron subvariants have a shorter incubation period, which is why the symptoms may appear earlier. While BA.1 and BA.2 are similar, they are 20 mutations apart. 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. 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. Experts in Kolkata say that BA.2 symptoms are mostly associated with abdomen and stomach instead of cough or shortness of breath. Prior infection is 44% effective at preventing future infection, increasing to 71% with 3 doses of the vaccine. The individual tested positive after travel to the UK and is linked to travel to Southern Africa. In total, 40 countries have uploaded 8,040 BA.2 sequences to GISAID since 17 November 2021. The five key Omicron symptoms. There is still uncertainty around the significance of the changes to the viral genome, and further analyses will now be undertaken. A study of 8,500 households and 18,000 individuals conducted by Denmark's SSI found that BA.2 was "substantially" more transmissible than BA.1. 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. The latest data confirmed that among those who had received 2 doses of AstraZeneca, there was no effect against Omicron from 20 weeks after the second dose. 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. BA.2.75.2 as a new variant but singled it out as an . Six cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant known as B.1.1.529 have also been identified in Scotland, with 4 cases in the Lanarkshire area and 2 in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published analyses of Omicron sub-lineage BA.2. 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. Based on the reports from doctors treating the Covid variant and patients battling. A growth rate potentially compatible with the eventual replacement of the current dominant variant. It contains epidemiological data and updated analysis of COVID-19 variants currently circulating in the UK. 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. There is currently no evidence of community transmission within the UK. BA.2, also known as "stealth omicron," is considered a subvariant of omicron. 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. We have now identified cases in the East Midlands, East of England, London, South East and North West. Top of the list with a prevalence of 80. An ad blocker has likely prevented this video content from loading. The most common omicron-related symptoms are: Cough. Of symptomatic cases, loss of smell and taste was found to be more common in people who tested positive for Delta than those who had Omicron. People suffering From the Omicron BA2 variant said they had fever and body Aches. 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.
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