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. Hospital cases are also rising, but vaccines are still helping to stop many severe. Taste Lost is one of the Omicron BA2 Symptoms. 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. 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. A separate UK study also found higher transmissibility for BA.2 compared to BA.1. Get vaccinated and, for those eligible, come forward for your third or booster dose as appropriate as soon as you are called. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published its latest COVID-19 variant technical briefing. Studies have already shown that this virus travels to different parts of the body, therefore gut-related issues are. COVID-19 has not gone away, so it is also vitally important that people continue to follow the guidance. One of the most common symptoms of the Omicron subvariant BA.2 is nausea. The individuals that have tested positive and their contacts are all isolating. 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 . Yet fears of another Omicron wave in the United States may be. 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. 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. ; An increase in new cases is being . 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. Scientists in the UK and abroad are closely monitoring BA.2, a sub-variant of Omicron. Latest updates on SARS-CoV-2 variants detected in the UK. Data on this wont be available for several weeks. Two-thirds with Omicron say they had Covid before. BA2 Variant is overtaking Delta and Omicron Cases at rapid speed. The five most common symptoms of Omicron are: runny nose;. The World Health Organization has been monitoring SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes Covid-19) since January 2020, during which time the variant Omicron has been identified, which is technically known as BA.1 or B.1.1.529.The WHO is now monitoring a sub-variant of Omicron, known as BA.2, which has been described as "stealth Omicron," because it has genetic mutations that potentially make it . We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services. 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. The public health advice is the same for all current variants. We have seen a rise in hospital admissions in line with community infections but vaccinations are continuing to keep ICU admissions and deaths at low levels. In India, BA.2 is rapidly replacing the Delta and Omicron BA.1 variants of Covid, BA.2 was first detected in the Philippines, About half of new cases in Denmark are caused by BA.2, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, Mother who killed her five children euthanised, Alex Murdaugh jailed for life for double murder, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus, Zoom boss Greg Tomb fired without cause, US sues Exxon over nooses found at Louisiana plant. 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. The analysis included very small numbers of cases as only a few people in the UK currently have this variant, meaning this data should be interpreted with caution until more cases have been studied. However, vaccinated people are still less likely to get infected than unvaccinated individuals, and they are also less likely to pass it on. Please take up this offer as soon as you are invited to protect yourself, your families and your communities. 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. As of 18 July 2022, there were 24 cases of BA.2.75 in the UK. But the preliminary assessment found no evidence that vaccines would be any less effective against symptomatic disease for either sub-variant. Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said: The latest set of analysis is in keeping with the encouraging signs we have already seen. 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. In some places, growth in recorded cases of the sub-variant has been sharp. Take a vaccine to protect yourself against COVID-19. 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. 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. The technical briefing also includes early analysis of vaccine effectiveness against the Omicron variant compared to Delta. There have been recent reports of people who experience symptoms like those of viral meningitis, an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord membranes. The Omicron variant sub-lineage known as BA.2 has been designated a variant under investigation ( VUI-22JAN-01) by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Evidence continues to show that Omicron is transmitting more rapidly than the dominant Delta variant. Things you can choose to do are: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has elevated the classification of the COVID-19 variants Omicron BA.4 and Omicron BA.5 to variants of concern (VOCs) on the basis of observed growth. To help us improve GOV.UK, wed like to know more about your visit today. 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 . 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. Data and analysis will be released in due course through our regular surveillance reporting. Both are variants in the Omicron family. A further 3 cases have been identified in Scotland, bringing the total to 13. Since then, several sub-variants of Omicron surfaced, including BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, and BA.5. Thanks to the expertise of scientists at UKHSA and partner organisations, were able to respond quickly to new variations of the virus. The Delta variant, for example, comprises 200 different sub-variants. They say its possible that the virus has now changed its pattern and is affecting the stomach. The total number of confirmed cases in England is now 5. We constantly assess the genetic diversity within the known variants of concern (VOCs) to inform our ongoing public health response to the pandemic. 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 . BA.2.75.2 as a new variant but singled it out as an . 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. 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. 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. Approximately half of PCR tests in the UK are able to detect SGTF. 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 focussed contact tracing. 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. BA.2 continues to demonstrate a substantial growth advantage. 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. Currently, approximately half of all tests conducted in the UK are able to detect SGTF. In the age group of 20-50 years, significant severity is not expected. In the UK, 38 cases of XF have been identified, though none have been seen since mid February. 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. Under the new system, the variant of concern (VOC) label will be assigned to variants which are currently emerging or circulating, and which the following characteristics can be confirmed or predicted: 1. 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. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published analyses of Omicron sub-lineage BA.2. The total number of confirmed cases in England is now 104. Once again, we urge everyone who is able to get a booster jab to come forward and do so. However, some experts believe that BA.2 doesn't present symptoms different from the original Omicron. What are the symptoms of BA.2? People aged 75 and over remain at particular risk of severe disease if they are not up to date with their vaccinations. No cases have been identified in the UK. The individuals that have tested positive are not connected to each other and are not linked to the previously confirmed cases. These are some of the symptoms that you should be looking out for: High temperature. 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. A runny nose, gastrointestinal. Thats why its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately. Updated analysisshows theadditional incremental benefit from each vaccine exposureincluding for boosters, even in those who have had prior infection. They save lives and prevent serious illness. Until we have this evidence, we must exercise the highest level of caution in drawing conclusions about any significant risks to peoples health. Thats why its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately.. While prevalence remains high, make sure to wear your mask in indoor settings and take a lateral flow test before meeting others. . In total, 40 countries have uploaded 8,040 BA.2 sequences to GISAID since 17 November 2021. Work is underway to identify any links to travel. March 31, 2022. However, cases of the variant continue to rise at an extraordinary rate already surpassing the record daily number in the pandemic. 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 second BTN162b2 booster was previously found to be 52% and 72% effective in preventing Omicron BA.1 infection and hospitalization, respectively, in adults 60 years. Data for the devolved administrations will follow in due course. Everyone over 18 is now able to walk into a vaccine centre, so do not hesitate to get yours. 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. 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. 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. There is further data showing that effectiveness against symptomatic disease is significantly lower compared to the Delta variant, and wanes more quickly. However, it is not confirmatory as there are a number of other reasons that a sample might exhibit SGTF. We continue to monitor all recombinants closely, routinely through our world-leading genomic surveillance and sequencing capability. So far there is not enough evidence to draw conclusions about transmissibility, severity or vaccine effectiveness.