Both have links to travel to Southern Africa. The five most common symptoms of Omicron are: runny nose;. BA.2 attacking abdomen instead of lungs. The vaccination status was unknown for 6 people, while 8 had received a single dose. Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against this new variant please get your first, second or booster jab without delay. 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. The individual tested positive after travel to the UK and is linked to travel to Southern Africa. While prevalence remains high, make sure to wear your mask in indoor settings and take a lateral flow test before meeting others. 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. As viruses mutate often and at random, it is not unusual for small numbers of cases to arise featuring new sets of mutations. This includes analysing live samples of the new variant in our laboratories to investigate properties such as response to current vaccines. 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. Wear a mask in crowded places, including public transport and shops, to ensure we all help break the chains of transmission and slow the spread of this new variant. Where individualsare suspected or confirmed to have theOmicron variantas the result of testing, their close contacts will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace, required to self-isolate and asked to take aPCRtest,regardless of whether they have been vaccinated. The total number of confirmed cases in England is now 29. Thanks to the expertise of scientists at UKHSA and partner organisations, were able to respond quickly to new variations of the virus. Experts say BA.2 symptoms don't seem to be all that distinct from original Omicron (BA.1) or the immediately preceding Delta variant. Work from home if you are able to, wear a mask indoors around other people, and ventilate indoor spaces well. 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. The population rate of people becoming infected with Omicron after having previously contracted COVID-19 has increased sharply. Neither BQ.1 nor XBB have been designated as variants of concern and UKHSA is monitoring the situation closely, as always. 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. Data and analysis will be released in due course through our regular surveillance reporting. A NEW Covid-19 Omicron sub-variant is spreading across Ireland and is the most infectious strain yet. There is further data showing that effectiveness against symptomatic disease is significantly lower compared to the Delta variant, and wanes more quickly. 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. Further studies are underway in the UK and abroad. The worst symptom is a "throat on fire," said University of California, San Francisco's Dr. Peter Chin-Hong. Delta and Omicron Cases are being eclipsed by BA2 Variant rapidly. As the coronavirus continues to evolve, a new highly contagious Omicron variant is appearing in India and other nations, including the United States, experts say.. BA.2 continues to demonstrate a substantial growth advantage. This is early-stage analysis and we continue to monitor the data hour by hour. The variant technical briefing also includes updated analysis on Omicron BA.2, currently the dominant variant in the UK. After 2 doses, vaccine effectiveness was 9% and 13% respectively for BA.1 and BA.2, after 25+ weeks. 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. 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. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published a new variant technical briefing containing updated analysis on Omicron hospitalisation risk and vaccine efficacy against symptomatic disease and hospitalisation. People suffering From the Omicron BA2 variant said they had fever and body Aches. 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 data so far suggests an increase in overall reinfection rates, alongside an increase in first infections. Typical meningitis symptoms include neck stiffness or pain, numbness, tingling, and sensitivity to light. 2023 BBC. As of May 2022, BA.2.12.1 was spreading in the US and two new subvariants of Omicron named BA.4 and BA.5, first detected in January 2022, spread in South Africa. I urge you to come forward as soon as youre eligible to help keep yourself and your loved ones safe. The BA.2 subvariant of the COVID-19 virus is now the dominant coronavirus strain in the world, and while health officials are saying the subvariant acts like the original omicron version of the . There were very limited numbers of BA.2 in this study and no inferences can be made regarding BA.2. Data on this wont be available for several weeks. Previous updates were published by Public Health England. This will include analysing live samples of the new variant in our laboratories to investigate properties such as response to current vaccines. The guidance on vaccination is changing to help all of us bolster our defences in the face of this new variant. An ad blocker has likely prevented this video content from loading. Currently, approximately half of all tests conducted in the UK are able to detect SGTF. However, vaccinated people are still less likely to get infected than unvaccinated individuals, and they are also less likely to pass it on. 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. And in England, more than 1,000 confirmed cases of BA.2 have been identified, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Dont include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has released variant technical briefing 50. Where individuals are identified as being a possible or probable case of Omicron, their close contacts will be contacted and advised they are required to isolate for 10 days, regardless of whether they have been vaccinated or received a negative COVID-19 test result. Those aged 18 to 39 should wait to be called. 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. In the most recent week of data (specimen dates from 30 November 2021 reported as of 6 December), the number of cases with SGTF has increased to 705. 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. 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. Its not too late to catch up if youve missed boosters, or even first doses so please take your recommended vaccines. 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. 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. 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. This will include analysing live samples of the new variant in our laboratories to investigate properties including its response to current vaccines. Vaccine efficacy analysis continues to show lower effectiveness for symptomatic Omicron disease. It was designated a variant of concern (VOC) on Saturday 27 November. The sub-variant of Omicron has been detected in 57 countries now, the WHO says. 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. Evidence continues to show that Omicron is transmitting more rapidly than the dominant Delta variant. Analysis by the UKHSA suggests it could be substantial, although there is a risk of over-estimating growth advantage in the early stages. Dr Jenny Harries, UKHSA Chief Executive, said: Our latest analysis shows an encouraging early signal that people who contract the Omicron variant may be at a relatively lower risk of hospitalisation than those who contract other variants. Yet fears of another Omicron wave in the United States may be. It appears to have a growth advantage compared to the version of Omicron, BA.1, that has swept the globe. Here is what we know about it. Cases have been confirmed through whole genome sequencing in all 9 regions of England. 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 . 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. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published the latest Variant Technical Briefing. The total number of confirmed cases in England is now 13. It contains updated analysis on Omicron hospitalisation risk, vaccine efficacy against symptomatic disease from Omicron, and the COVID-19 reinfection rate. 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. There are differences in the populations that have received different vaccines. Teams nationally and locally are working at pace to identify and trace all close contacts of every Omicron case. 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. As we learn to live safely with COVID-19, there are actions we can all take to help reduce the risk of catching COVID-19 and passing it on to others. Congestion. 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. Scientists in the UK and abroad are closely monitoring BA.2, a sub-variant of Omicron. Consider wearing a face covering when in crowded places. While BA.2 appears to be more transmissible than previous variants, there is no data yet to suggest that it is any more severe. 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. We have now identified cases in the East Midlands, East of England, London, South East and North West. 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. India is another country where BA.2 is rapidly replacing the Delta and Omicron BA.1 variant, according to molecular biologist Bijaya Dhakal. Get vaccinated and, for those eligible, come forward for your third or booster dose as appropriate as soon as you are called. Headache. 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. 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. Neither have been designated as variants of concern by UKHSA. Well send you a link to a feedback form. It contains epidemiological data and updated analysis of COVID-19 variants currently circulating in the UK. It is not clear where BA.2 originated, but it was first detected in the Philippines in November. With the original version of the omicron variant, which swept across the U.S. at a dizzying speed last winter, the loss of taste and smell was not as common as with the earlier alpha and delta variants. The genome of VUI-21OCT-01 does not have many mutations compared to Delta. 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. In some places, growth in recorded cases of the sub-variant has been sharp. Read about our approach to external linking. One individual diagnosed in hospital has sadly died. 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. A growth rate potentially compatible with the eventual replacement of the current dominant variant. Thats why its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately. There are small numbers of cases in the UK and this designation is intended to allow investigation into the specific properties of this variant. Thats why its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets aPCRtest immediately. These are potentially biologically significant mutations which may change the behaviour of the virus with regards to immune escape, transmissibility or susceptibility to treatments, but this has not been proven. Positive tests with sufficient virus detected from people arriving in the UK are sent for confirmation through Whole Genome Sequencing, regardless of the presence or absence of SGTF. If you have any symptoms, take a test. We have started to see cases where there are no links to travel, suggesting that we have a small amount of community transmission. The five key Omicron symptoms. 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. 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. Scratchy throat. 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. 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.