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. Yet fears of another Omicron wave in the United States may be. 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. 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. BA.2 Omicron Subvariant Can Damage Your Lungs, Cause - TheHealthSite Thats why its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately. Thats why its so important that everybody, everywhere, takes simple steps to protect themselves from infection. Vaccine effectiveness (VE) against Omicron has again been updated in this weeks briefing. Evidence continues to show that Omicron is transmitting more rapidly than the dominant Delta variant. Fourteen people are reported to have died within 28 days of an Omicron diagnosis, ranging in age from 52 to 96 years old. The five key Omicron symptoms. 1. 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. UKHSA has also published a breakdown of confirmed Omicron cases and SGTF cases by local authority. The original Delta variant remains overwhelmingly dominant in the UK, making up approximately 99.8% of all cases. We should all continue to test regularly with LFDs and take a PCR test if symptoms develop. None of these cases are known to have been hospitalised or died. 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". 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. You have rejected additional cookies. You have accepted additional cookies. Surefire Signs Omicron is in Your Body Eat This Not That We will continue to monitor this situation closely and recommend appropriate public health measures if needed. It showed that the AstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines provided much lower levels of protection against symptomatic infection compared to the protection that they provide against Delta. Both are variants in the Omicron family. 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. 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. Working from home where possible, consistently wearing masks in crowded or enclosed spaces, washing your hands regularly and isolating and getting tested if you feel unwell are also vitally important in reducing the impact of COVID-19 this winter. 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 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 Dr Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Advisor for UKHSA, said: Ongoing variant analysis is an important part of our pandemic response. 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. BA.2 continues to demonstrate a substantial growth advantage. The updated risk assessment includes indicators for infection severity in both adults and children. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published a new variant technical briefing describing ongoing work on the Omicron variant. It is not unexpected to see new lineages and continued investigation is a normal part of the surveillance of an infectious disease. 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 . A thirddose was associated with a 68% (95% confidence interval 52 to 82%) reduced risk of hospitalisation when compared to similar unvaccinated individuals. So how worried should we be about this emerging variant? 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. 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. Fast-spreading new Covid stealth Omicron BA.2 variant and symptoms As of 17 May, 115 cases of BA.4 and 80 cases of BA.5 have been confirmed in England and the latest UKHSA variant technical briefing has been published today. Since then, several sub-variants of Omicron surfaced, including BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, and BA.5. Please come forward to receive your booster as soon as possible. A runny nose, gastrointestinal. More detail will be available in UKHSAs regular variant technical briefings. Thanks to the expertise of scientists at UKHSA and partner organisations, were able to respond quickly to new variations of the virus. The areas with the largest number of confirmed cases are London (146) and the South East (97). Everybody who is contacted or has symptoms should take aPCRtest as soon as possible, even if they have received a positive COVID-19PCRtest within the last 90 days. BA.2 is believed to be far more contagious than the earlier Omicron strain, and was blamed for a fresh surge in Denmark. Over 40% of hospital admissions were in London. It contains epidemiological data and updated analysis of COVID-19 variants currently circulating in the UK. The individuals and their households have been told to self-isolate. 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. 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. A further case has been identified in Scotland, bringing the total to 10. UKHSA is constantly monitoring the situation and working to understand the implications for public health. Further information is also available in the latest variant technical briefing. 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. ; An increase in new cases is being . 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. 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. However, it should be noted both that this is early data and more research is required to confirm these findings. 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. It is not clear where BA.2 originated, but it was first detected in the Philippines in November. The B.1.1.529variant includes a large number of spike protein mutations as well as mutations in other parts of the viral genome. UKHSA will continue to designate new variants, and these will receive a variant number (in the format V-date-number). Well send you a link to a feedback form. 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 analysis excludes individuals with confirmed previous COVID-19 infection. 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.. 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. Currently, the Omicron variant has BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, and B.1.1.529 sub-variants, of which the BA.1 was dominant a few months before, and scientists have recently warned about the BA.2 sub-variant . The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published variant technical briefing 37. New sub-lineages within Delta continue to be identified. Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against this new variant please get your first, second, third or booster jab without delay. People suffering From the Omicron BA2 variant said they had fever and body Aches. Protection against hospitalisation from vaccines is good against the Omicron variant. The total number of confirmed cases in England is now 13. 1 case has been identified in Wales. There is insufficient data to make any assessment of protection against severe disease, or to assess the severity of illness caused by Omicron. 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 individuals that have tested positive and their contacts are all isolating. UKHSAis carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive cases were likely to be infectious. 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. Dr Meera Chand, UKHSA Director of Clinical an Emerging Infection, said: We continue to monitor the emergence of new variants and give them variant designations if they are sufficiently distinct to warrant separate epidemiological and laboratory assessment. There is currently no evidence of community transmission within the UK. BA.2, also known as "stealth omicron," is considered a subvariant of omicron. More investigation is required to fully determine the extent of these mutations impact. 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. There are small numbers of cases in the UK and this designation is intended to allow investigation into the specific properties of this variant. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published the latest variant technical briefing. As set out last week, the effectiveness of all vaccines against symptomatic infection continues to be lower in all periods against Omicron compared to Delta. 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. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has released variant technical briefing 41. Neither BQ.1 nor XBB have been designated as variants of concern and UKHSA is monitoring the situation closely, as always. Omicron BA.4 and Omicron BA.5 were designated as variants of concern on 18 May on the basis of an apparent growth advantage over the previously-dominant Omicron BA.2 variant.
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