Two-thirds with Omicron say they had Covid before. 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. This particular recombinant, XE, has shown a variable growth rate and we cannot yet confirm whether it has a true growth advantage. In this analysis, the risk of hospitalisation is lower for Omicron cases with symptomatic or asymptomatic infection after 2 and 3 doses of vaccine, with an 81% (95% confidence interval 77 to 85%) reduction in the risk of hospitalisation after 3 doses compared to unvaccinated Omicron cases. A preliminary assessment by UKHSA did not find a difference in vaccine effectiveness, although it said there was no data yet available on severity. Headache. 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. That's because there could be cross-immunity - an infection with BA.1 could offer some protection against BA.2. There is evidence that protection against symptomatic disease wanes after the second dose of vaccine, and then improves after the booster. 'Stealth' Omicron: What You Need To Know About The BA.2 Virus | Glamour UK 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. 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". Runny nose/congestion. UKHSA continues to examine all available data relating to SARS-CoV-2 variants in the UK and abroad. As of January 10 2022, 53 sequences of the BA.2 sub-lineage of Omicron had been identified in the United Kingdom. Thanks to the expertise of scientists at UKHSA and partner organisations, were able to respond quickly to new variations of the virus. UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published variant technical briefing 24. A runny nose, gastrointestinal issues, headache and a skin rash are other common signs and symptoms. This will include analysing live samples of the new variant in our laboratories to investigate properties including its response to current vaccines. Those are pretty similar to what people experience with a cold or other seasonal viruses. Thats why its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately. To help us improve GOV.UK, wed like to know more about your visit today. 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. There is currently insufficient evidence to draw conclusions about growth advantage or other properties of this variant. The original Delta variant remains overwhelmingly dominant in the UK, making up approximately 99.8% of all cases. 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. Work is underway to identify any links to travel. BA.2.75.2 variant is worrying experts. Here's why - Deseret News UKHSA has also released a variant risk assessment for Omicron BA.4 and BA.5, summarising the emerging epidemiology and laboratory evidence. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. This analysis excludes individuals with confirmed previous COVID-19 infection. One individual diagnosed in hospital has sadly died. As of 24 January 2022, 1,072 genomically confirmed cases of BA.2 have been identified in England and all assessments remain preliminary whilst case numbers are relatively low. A total 637 cases of XE a recombinant of Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 have been confirmed in the UK so far. Thats why its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets aPCRtest immediately. Among those who had received 2 doses of Pfizer or Moderna, effectiveness dropped from around 65 to 70% down to around 10% by 20 weeks after the seconddose. Get vaccinated and, for those eligible, come forward for your third or booster dose as appropriate as soon as you are called. No cases have been identified in the UK. 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. 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. Read about our approach to external linking. Once again, we urge everyone who is able to get a booster jab to come forward and do so. Its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets aPCRtest immediately. It is the best defence we have against this highly transmissible new variant. You have rejected additional cookies. We should all continue to test regularly with LFDs and take a PCR test if symptoms develop. Studies have already shown that this virus travels to different parts of the body, therefore gut-related issues are. Our data also show that 17.5 per cent of people aged 75 years and over have not had a vaccine within the past six months, putting them more at risk of severe disease. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published its latest COVID-19 variant technical briefing. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has announced the emerging SARS-CoV-2 variant known as B.1.1.529 as a variant under investigation (VUI). Omicron has a deletion atposition69/70of the spike proteinwhich allows it to be tracked through S gene target failure(SGTF)in some PCR tests. 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. One case is located in Camden, London, and one case is located in Wandsworth, London. A further case has been identified in Scotland, bringing the total to 10. Trends in SGTF over and time are however affected by the coverage of laboratories contributing to this surveillance data. This is consistent with analysis published yesterday by Imperial College London and the University of Edinburgh. 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. Please take up this offer as soon as you are eligible to protect yourself, your families and your communities. 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. 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. New Covid Omicron BA.2 variant - Two unusual symptoms to watch for However, it remains too early to draw any definitive conclusions on hospital severity, and the increased transmissibility of Omicron and the rising cases in the over 60s population in England means it remains highly likely that there will be significant pressure on the NHS in coming weeks. The analysis looked at 581 people with confirmed Omicron. Those mutations are shared with the original omicron, but BA.2 also has . 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 UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published analyses of Omicron sub-lineage BA.2. BA.2 variant: Everything we know about the new Covid strain - Metro New 'stealth' Omicron subvariant presents two NEW symptoms, experts 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. Both have links to travel to Southern Africa. Previous variants of concern which no longer meet the criteria will be redesignated. What Is Your Risk of Getting the Omicron BA.2 Subvariant? - Healthline A runny nose, gastrointestinal. 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. 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. An individual with Omicron is estimated to be between 31 and 45% less likely to attend A&E compared to Delta, and 50 to 70% less likely to be admitted to hospital. Neither have been designated as variants of concern by UKHSA. There is currently no evidence of community transmission within the UK. We continue to urge everyone who is eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine and booster. A further 16 cases have been identified in Scotland, bringing the total in Scotland to 29. 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. 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. The B.1.1.529variant includes a large number of spike protein mutations as well as mutations in other parts of the viral genome. BA.2 Symptoms Not That Different From Omicron, Delta. 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. None of the cases to date is known to have been hospitalised or died. Congestion. The technical briefing also includes early analysis of vaccine effectiveness against the Omicron variant compared to Delta. Download the data.xlsx. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has released variant technical briefing 50. Neither BQ.1 nor XBB have been designated as variants of concern and UKHSA is monitoring the situation closely, as always. The genome of VUI-21OCT-01 does not have many mutations compared to Delta. The rapid spread of Omicron BA.2: What studies say - Medical News Today 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. However, it should serve as objective evidence that this pandemic is not over. 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. This edition includes an update on the current circulating lineages, including several cases of Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 which have been detected in the UK. Getting your booster jab remains the most effective way of protecting yourself and others from infection and severe disease. A separate UK study also found higher transmissibility for BA.2 compared to BA.1. 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. What Are the Symptoms of the COVID BA. 2 Variant? Your Questions Continue to exercise caution. "We must remain vigilant and take up vaccinations. In some places, growth in recorded cases of the sub-variant has been sharp. I urge you to come forward as soon as youre eligible to help keep yourself and your loved ones safe. UKHSA is monitoring the situation closely, in partnership with scientific and public health organisations across the world. More recent data on Omicron cases is published regularly here. They save lives and prevent serious illness. Delta remains the predominant variantin England, accounting for over 99% of all COVID-19 cases. We have now identified cases in the East Midlands, East of England, London, South East and North West. 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. 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. The data so far suggests an increase in overall reinfection rates, alongside an increase in first infections. That contrasts to Denmark, where it has become dominant. Covid 4th wave: New BA.2 variant can impact stomach and intestine, say The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is reminding people to ensure their COVID-19 vaccinations are up to date and to continue following COVID-safe behaviours, as latest technical data indicates BA.4 and BA.5 have become dominant in the UK and are driving the recent increase in infections. 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. Further information is also available in the latest variant technical briefing. A major ailment is not to be expected for the age group 20-50 years. The total number of confirmed cases in England is now 22. UKHSA is carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive cases were likely to be infectious. The team at ZOE, a study that tracks symptoms . You have accepted additional cookies. Experts in Kolkata say that BA.2 symptoms are mostly associated with abdomen and stomach instead of cough or shortness of breath. These early findings should be interpreted with caution as transmission data and dynamics can fluctuate, meaning that early findings can change quickly when new variants are identified. 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 . ; BA.5 sometimes gives rise to more marked symptomssometimes with digestive symptoms . Dizziness, Fatigue: Common symptoms of Stealth Omicron you - mint The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published variant technical briefing 37. 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. 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 Omicron variant of Covid-19 includes the lineages BA.1, BA.2, BA.3 and B.1.1.529. Please take up this offer as soon as you are eligible to protect yourself, your families and your communities. The Omicron Variant of COVID-19 - WebMD 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. Data on this wont be available for several weeks. 1. They say its possible that the virus has now changed its pattern and is affecting the stomach. 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. 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. Any variants showing evidence of spread are rapidly assessed. Immunogenicity and Reactogenicity of the Beta-variant Recombinant Thats why its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately.. 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. One study has suggested that it may be difficult to identify this variant . Studies of contacts show that Omicron is transmitting more effectively than Delta. #India is another country where #SARS_CoV_2 BA.2 is rapidly replacing #Delta & #Omicron BA.1. We have now identified cases in the East Midlands, East of England, London, North East, North West, South East, South West and West Midlands. In addition, UKHSA has published data which shows the detection of cases exhibiting S-gene target failure (SGTF) in recent weeks across the country. In severe cases, the SpO2 Level may also decrease. Of these, 20 were in England, 3 in Scotland and 1 in Wales. Neither have currently been designated as variants of concern. What we know is that it is certainly growing as a proportion of overall cases in the UK. 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 . 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. As with previous variants, experts believe vaccines will continue to be highly effective against severe illness, hospitalisation, and death. 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. Fast-spreading new Covid stealth Omicron BA.2 variant and symptoms It is never too late to come forward for your first dose and its vital that everyone comes forward to get boosted now as we head into the new year. UKHSA continues to monitor and study variants of SARS-CoV-2 closely and is working with academic partners to rapidly assess the significance of the lineages BA.4 and BA.5. It has since swept the globe, eventually vanquishing other variants including delta. At this point it is not possible to determine where the sublineage may have originated. BA.2 has an increased growth rate compared to BA.1 in all regions of England where there are enough cases to assess it. The Omicron BA.2 subvariant is fast becoming the dominant strain of COVID-19, with symptoms similar to previous strains of the virus. Since the middle of February, this growth rate has settled at approximately 75% higher than other circulating Omicron lineages in England. For the first time, this data includes analysis on vaccine effectiveness 15+ weeks after the booster dose. However, one must note, these are only early stage symptoms. 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. Top of the list with a prevalence of 80. Omicron Sub-Variant BA.2: Symptoms, Differences, And Chances Of These are potentially biologically significant mutations which may change the behaviour of the virus with regards to vaccines, treatments and transmissibility. The risk of catching or passing on COVID-19 is greatest when someone who is infected is physically close to, or sharing an enclosed or poorly ventilated space with, other people. Getty Images BA.2 was. What is the Covid BA.2 variant? Symptoms of Omicron sub-variant 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. It is critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately. The latest version raising alarms is an emerging subvariant of Omicron called BA.2. 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. Thats why its so important that everybody, everywhere, takes simple steps to protect themselves from infection. You can change your cookie settings at any time. 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. Further studies are underway in the UK and abroad. 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. A number of Omicron variants are currently circulating in England, many of which have acquired mutations which may produce a degree of immune escape. It contains epidemiological data and updated analysis of COVID-19 variants currently circulating in the UK. However, some experts believe that BA.2 doesn't present symptoms different from the original Omicron. 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. 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 of 18 July 2022, there were 24 cases of BA.2.75 in the UK. 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. Here is what we know about it. Nine cases have also been identified in Scotland, with 5 cases in the Lanarkshire area and 4 in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published the latest variant technical briefing. Case rates remain high throughout the UK and we must remain vigilant and take up vaccinations. Earlier COVID-19 variants affected the lung tissue more and had a higher likelihood of causing pneumonia and other severe outcomes. BQ.1 (V-22OCT-01) is a BA.5 sub-lineage which has been designated on the basis of rapid growth. 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. 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. 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. Omicron Subvariant - BA.2.75 | Narayana Health Hospital admissions are increasing, and we cannot risk the NHS being overwhelmed. BA.2 attacking abdomen instead of lungs. While BA.1 and BA.2 are similar, they are 20 mutations apart. The first genomes of this variant were uploaded to the international GISAID database on 22 November. The designation was made on the basis of increasing numbers of BA.2 sequences identified both domestically and internationally. Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against this new variant please get your first, second, third or booster jab without delay. 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 . UKHSA is undertaking further detailed studies. 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. 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. Currently, no experimental data has been reported about BA.2 and BA.3. 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. 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. UKHSA is gathering scientific information as quickly as possible in order to inform the right balance of interventions to prevent transmission and protect lives. Data and analysis will be released in due course through our regular surveillance reporting. COVID-19 variants identified in the UK - latest updates - GOV.UK The population rate of people becoming infected with Omicron after having previously contracted COVID-19 has increased sharply. 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. So far there is not enough evidence to draw conclusions about transmissibility, severity or vaccine effectiveness. 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. 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. If you develop any symptoms, isolate immediately and get a PCR test. 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. Please come forward to receive your booster as soon as possible. A growth rate potentially compatible with the eventual replacement of the current dominant variant. Omicron BA.2 Variant Symptoms, Severity, Precautions, Mutation They also say that Omicron symptoms are typically mild, and herd immunity is at . BA.2 is found to be able to alarmingly reinfect patients originally infected by Omicron BA.1. Thats why its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately. Approximately half of PCR tests in the UK are able to detect SGTF. The worst symptom is a "throat on fire," said University of California, San Francisco's Dr. Peter Chin-Hong.