This is not an unusual occurrence and several recombinant SARS-CoV-2 variants have been identified over the course of the pandemic. Please take up this offer as soon as you are eligible to protect yourself, your families and your communities. COVID-19 has not gone away, so it is also vitally important that people continue to follow the guidance. 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. Studies in the UK reveal (where stealth Omicron is already spreading at a high rate) that people infected with the sub-variant show gut-related . 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. Please wear face coverings in line with government guidance, let in fresh air when mixing indoors and wash your hands regularly. UKHSA is monitoring the situation closely, in partnership with scientific and public health organisations across the world. This is more promising data which reinforces just how important vaccines are. The total number of confirmed cases in England is now 29. 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. We use some essential cookies to make this website work. XD has not been identified in the UK to date, though 49 cases have been reported to global databases, the majority of these are in France. They say its possible that the virus has now changed its pattern and is affecting the stomach. However, it is not confirmatory as there are a number of other reasons that a sample might exhibit SGTF. 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. 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. UKHSA has also released a variant risk assessment for Omicron BA.4 and BA.5, summarising the emerging epidemiology and laboratory evidence. All age groups are affected, including the 75s and over, who are due a spring booster jab to top up protection. The most commonly-reported symptoms with the original Omicron variant were cough, fatigue, headache, congestion, and runny nose. Since then, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has classified two subvariants, BA.1.1 and BA.2. Evidence continues to show that Omicron is transmitting more rapidly than the dominant Delta variant. Vaccine effectiveness against severe disease from Omicron is not yet known but is expected to be significantly higher than protection against symptomatic disease. Read about our approach to external linking. 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. Updated analysisshows theadditional incremental benefit from each vaccine exposureincluding for boosters, even in those who have had prior infection. The most common omicron-related symptoms are: Cough. 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. Ongoing analysis by UKHSA has found no evidence that infection with Omicron BA.2 results in a greater risk of hospitalisation, compared to Omicron BA.1. Since BA.2 is a sub-strain of the Omicron variant, it is expected that its symptoms will be similar. UKHSA has performed an initial laboratory evaluation of the current lateral flow devices (LFDs) for COVID-19 in current use in the UK. It appears to have a growth advantage compared to the version of Omicron, BA.1, that has swept the globe. A separate UK study also found higher transmissibility for BA.2 compared to BA.1. An important question is whether BA.2 or BA.3 will become a new dominating "variant of concern". The updated risk assessment includes indicators for infection severity in both adults and children. Scratchy throat. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published variant technical briefing 37. 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 BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Recent studies suggest that BA.2 has a. 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. UKHSA encourage everyone to continue to follow the most up-to date guidance. We will continue to closely analyse all available biological, epidemiological and genomic evidence for any SARS-CoV-2 variant in the UK or internationally. 1. There are also hybrid strains, such as XE, which is a combination of BA.1 and BA.2 By Alex Finnis 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. Follow the latest self-isolation rules if you develop symptoms wear a mask where required to do so, take regular LFD tests and observe good hand hygiene. 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). There is still uncertainty around the significance of the changes to the viral genome, and further analyses will now be undertaken. This suggests that BA.5 is likely to become the dominant COVID-19 variant in the UK. We continue to urge everyone who is eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine and booster. 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. If you have symptoms take a PCR test and isolate at home until you receive a negative result. 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. 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. 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. BA2 Variant is overtaking Delta and Omicron Cases at rapid speed. This analysis excludes individuals with confirmed previous COVID-19 infection. 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. Runny or congested nose Feeling fatigued Headache New, continuous cough Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Muscle or body aches New loss of a sense of taste or smell Sore throat Nausea or vomiting Diarrhoea They advise that if you develop one or more of these symptoms you should take a Covid test as soon as possible. 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. UKHSA is updating its variant classification system to give a clearer indication of which variants have significant changes compared to the current dominant variant. However, a small change may be enough to cause a difference in the virus properties in some circumstances. A growth rate potentially compatible with the eventual replacement of the current dominant variant. The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) said the BA.2 sub-lineage was already prevalent in samples it received at the end of January. To date, there have been 426 cases of Omicron BA.2 confirmed by Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS), with the earliest dated 6 December 2021. There are small numbers of cases in the UK and this designation is intended to allow investigation into the specific properties of this variant. More evidence is needed to know whether this is due to changes in the virus behaviour or to epidemiological conditions. 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. At this point it is not possible to determine where the sublineage may have originated. This analysis is not an assessment of hospital severity, which will take further time to assess. B.1.1.529 has a large number of mutations in the gene coding for the spike protein, and also in other parts of the viral genome. Dr Jenny Harries, Chief Executive of UKHSA, said: We are continuing our efforts to understand the effect of this variant on transmissibility, severe disease, mortality, antibody response and vaccine efficacy. Please also make sure to follow all Government guidance to reduce the spread of infection. None of these cases are known to have been hospitalised or died. As of 18 July 2022, there were 24 cases of BA.2.75 in the UK. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has released variant technical briefing 50. The Delta variant, for example, comprises 200 different sub-variants. Trends in SGTF over and time are however affected by the coverage of laboratories contributing to this surveillance data. Omicron has a deletion atposition69/70of the spike proteinwhich allows it to be tracked through S gene target failure(SGTF)in some PCR tests. BA.2 is found to be able to alarmingly reinfect patients originally infected by Omicron BA.1. 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. People suffering From the Omicron BA2 variant said they had fever and body Aches. Everyone over 18 is now able to walk into a vaccine centre, so do not hesitate to get yours. This assessment is based on analysis of UK data showing increased household transmission risk, increased secondary attack rates (such as the chance of each case infecting another individual) and increased growth rates compared to Delta. BA.2 has been under close . 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. 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. While prevalence remains high, make sure to wear your mask in indoor settings and take a lateral flow test before meeting others. There are differences in the populations that have received different vaccines. 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. There are indications of a small rise in children admitted to hospital, but these early signals need further investigations before we can draw any conclusions about whether Omicron causes more severe illness in children. A total 637 cases of XE a recombinant of Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 have been confirmed in the UK so far. The proportion of test results displaying SGTF has been very low in recent months but an increase has been observed in the past week. 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. The variant technical briefing also includes updated analysis on Omicron BA.2, currently the dominant variant in the UK. UKHSA analysis shows that the risk of hospital admission for an identified case with Omicron is reduced compared to a case of Delta. The newest COVID variant taking the world by storm is Omicron's stealthy sub-variant BA.2, and it seems to have brought on a new barrage of gastrointestinal symptoms with it. 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. 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. For the first time, this data includes analysis on vaccine effectiveness 15+ weeks after the booster dose. Based on the reports from doctors treating the Covid variant and patients battling. In a lot of ways, it's a bad cold, a lot of respiratory symptoms, stuffy nose, coughing, body aches and fatigue," said Dr. Dennis Cunningham, the system medical director of infection control and. One study has suggested that it may be difficult to identify this variant . Dr Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Advisor for UKHSA, said: Ongoing variant analysis is an important part of our pandemic response. Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against this new variant please get your first, second or booster jab without delay. In the last week, VUI-21OCT-01 accounted for approximately 6% of all Delta cases. As viruses mutate into new variants, they sometimes split or branch off into sub-lineages. New studies are being undertaken to assess this further. Data on this wont be available for several weeks. Twoto4 weeks after a booster dose, vaccine effectiveness ranged from around 65 to 75%, dropping to 55 to 70% at 5 to 9 weeks and 40 to 50% from 10+ weeks after the booster. Stay at home if you have any respiratory symptoms or a fever and limit contact with others until you are feeling better, particularly if they are likely to be at greater risk if they contract COVID-19. 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. Studies have also shown that Omicron infects and multiplies in the upper airways 70 times faster than the previous Delta variant. We are continuing to monitor the data closely. We have also learnt that BA.2 has a slightly higher secondary attack rate than BA.1 in households. 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. 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. 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. Taste Lost is one of the Omicron BA2 Symptoms. Teams nationally and locally are working at pace to identify and trace all close contacts of every Omicron case. Cases have been confirmed through whole genome sequencing in all 9 regions of England. To help us improve GOV.UK, wed like to know more about your visit today. How are Covid rules changing across UK schools? The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has identified 7 further cases of COVID-19 with mutations consistent with B.1.1.529 in England, in addition to the previous 22 confirmed cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant known as B.1.1.529. This increased to 63% for BA.1 and 70% for BA.2 at 2 weeks following a third vaccine. 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. The technical briefing also includes early analysis of vaccine effectiveness against the Omicron variant compared to Delta. The original Delta variant remains overwhelmingly dominant in the UK, making up approximately 99.8% of all cases. 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. Thats why its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately.. Now more countries, particularly in Asia and Europe, are reporting an increase in cases driven by BA.2. It is one for the scientists to watch, rather than for the public to be alarmed about at this stage. 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. Thats why its so important that everybody, everywhere, takes simple steps to protect themselves from infection. UKHSAis carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive cases were likely to be infectious. 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. UKHSA is monitoring this closely. Work from home if you are able to, wear a mask indoors around other people, and ventilate indoor spaces well. Therefore, although early suggestions are that individuals may be less likely to require hospitalisation, many more people are likely to become infected. Well send you a link to a feedback form. This analysis found that the risk of presentation to emergency care or hospital admission with Omicron (testing for symptomatic or asymptomatic infection) was approximately half of that for Delta, while the risk of hospital admission alone with Omicron was approximately one-third of that for Delta. 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 Getty Images BA.2 was. Since then, several sub-variants of Omicron surfaced, including BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, and BA.5. Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against this new variant please get your first, second, third or booster jab without delay. 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. A preliminary assessment did not find evidence of a difference in vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease for BA.2 compared to BA.1. Here is what we know about it. The odds of reporting long COVID symptoms four to eight weeks after a first COVID-19 infection were 21.8% higher after an infection compatible with Omicron BA.2 than Omicron BA.1 among adults who were triple-vaccinated when infected; this was after adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics and time since last COVID-19 vaccination. BA.2 Symptoms Not That Different From Omicron, Delta. 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. Continue to exercise caution. UKHSA is constantly monitoring the situation and working to understand the implications for public health. UKHSA has also published analyses related to the original Omicron strain BA.1. As with previous variants, experts believe vaccines will continue to be highly effective against severe illness, hospitalisation, and death. However, it should serve as objective evidence that this pandemic is not over. Where variant information was available, the majority of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions from 24 November 2021 to 19 January 2022 had Delta infections. When combined with VE against symptomatic disease, the reduced risk of hospitalisation climbed to 92% 2 to 4 weeks after a third dose of the vaccine, down to 83% after 10 weeks or more. Two major BA.2 variant symptoms include dizziness and fatigue, as I wrote for the Deseret News. In severe cases, the SpO2 Level may also decrease. 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. The data so far suggests an increase in overall reinfection rates, alongside an increase in first infections. As of 20 December,132individuals with confirmed Omicron have been admitted to or transferred from emergency departments. 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. The UK has been hard-hit by a further spike in Covid-19 cases in recent weeks, with infections being driven by a sub-lineage of the Omicron variant known as BA.2 or "Stealth Omicron". Neither have been designated as variants of concern by UKHSA.
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