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. 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. UKHSAs most recent variant technical briefing includes examination of a number of recombinant variants which have been identified in the UK, as well as updated epidemiological and genomic analysis of Omicron BA.2. While prevalence remains high, make sure to wear your mask in indoor settings and take a lateral flow test before meeting others. Genomes have now been uploaded from South Africa, Botswana and Hong Kong but the extent of spread is not yet determined. Earlier COVID-19 variants affected the lung tissue more and had a higher likelihood of causing pneumonia and other severe outcomes. 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. 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. Top of the list with a prevalence of 80. All age groups are affected, including the 75s and over, who are due a spring booster jab to top up protection. 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. You can change your cookie settings at any time. Our exceptional vaccine rollout means the number of people severely affected by COVID-19 is low, and the UKs innovation and research has discovered life-saving treatments for those most at risk from COVID-19. 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. One dose of any vaccine was associated with a 35% reduced risk of hospitalisation among symptomatic cases with the Omicron variant, 2 doses with a 67% reduction up to 24 weeks after the seconddose and a 51% reduced risk 25 or more weeks after the seconddose. The first sequences were submitted from the Philippines, and most samples have been uploaded from Denmark (6,411). Vaccine effectiveness against severe disease from Omicron is not yet known but is expected to be significantly higher than protection against symptomatic disease. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has released variant technical briefing 50. In the UK, 38 cases of XF have been identified, though none have been seen since mid February. The Omicron variant of Covid-19 includes the lineages BA.1, BA.2, BA.3 and B.1.1.529. 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. UKHSA will continue to designate new variants, and these will receive a variant number (in the format V-date-number). One individual diagnosed in hospital has sadly died. 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. 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. 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. 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. Well be undertaking further analysis to investigate the small rise in the number of children admitted to hospital but currently coronavirus (COVID-19) poses a very low health risk to children and infants. 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. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. 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. A further 3 cases have been identified in Scotland, bringing the total to 13. So far there is not enough evidence to draw conclusions about transmissibility, severity or vaccine effectiveness. UKHSA has performed an initial laboratory evaluation of the current lateral flow devices (LFDs) for COVID-19 in current use in the UK. Well send you a link to a feedback form. 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. Thats why its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately.. The updated risk assessment includes indicators for infection severity in both adults and children. 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 UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has identified 2 further cases of COVID-19 with mutations consistent with B.1.1.529 in England, in addition to the previous 3 confirmed cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant known as B.1.1.529 on 27 and 28 November. 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 . UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published variant technical briefing 24. UKHSA, in partnership with scientific bodies across the globe, is constantly monitoring the status of SARS-CoV-2 variants as they emerge and develop worldwide. Latest updates on SARS-CoV-2 variants detected in the UK. Runny nose (especially in combination with loss of smell) A runny nose is a universal sign of cold, flu and now COVID-19. BA.2 infections in Germany are also growing faster than BA.1 and Delta, according to Dr Meera Chand, Covid-19 director at the UKHSA. Studies of contacts show that Omicron is transmitting more effectively than Delta. Data on this wont be available for several weeks. There are thought to be subtle differences in the symptoms that BA. You have accepted additional cookies. Hospital cases are also rising, but vaccines are still helping to stop many severe. There is currently no evidence of community transmission within the UK. Studies have also shown that Omicron infects and multiplies in the upper airways 70 times faster than the previous Delta variant. You will not always know whether someone you come into contact with is at higher risk of becoming seriously ill from respiratory infections, including COVID-19. Please also make sure to follow all Government guidance to reduce the spread of infection. Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against this new variant so please get your first, second, third or booster jab as soon as you are eligible to protect yourself, your families and your communities. 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 . Where variant information was available, the majority of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions from 24 November 2021 to 19 January 2022 had Delta infections. 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. Our data shows that getting the booster vaccine is more effective against this variant than 2 doses alone. moderate COVID-19 symptoms who are at high risk of . 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. An important question is whether BA.2 or BA.3 will become a new dominating "variant of concern". One study has suggested that it may be difficult to identify this variant . 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. Nine cases have also been identified in Scotland, with 5 cases in the Lanarkshire area and 4 in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area. This paper can be found as a pre-print, and the data is referred to in the latest vaccine surveillance report. 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. This is very encouraging. UKHSA Chief Executive, Jenny Harries said: I want to thank everyone who has been working globally and locally to help us act incredibly quickly in response to the Omicron variant. However, cases of the variant continue to rise at an extraordinary rate already surpassing the record daily number in the pandemic. According to the CDC, the Omicron variant spreads more easily than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus and the Delta variant. As is routine for any new variants under investigation, UKHSAis carrying out laboratory and epidemiological investigations to better understand the properties of this variant. The individuals that have tested positive and their contacts are all isolating. 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. Although there was a rapid increase in SARS-CoV-2 infections in care homes during December 2021 in line with case rises in the community, there has not been an associated increase in hospital admissions. The symptoms of omicron BA.2.75 are mostly flu-like and may last more than 4-5 days. "We must remain vigilant and take up vaccinations. 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. UKHSA are continuing to monitor data on the BA.2 sub-lineage closely. 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 . We use some essential cookies to make this website work. So far, there have been 717 V-22OCT-01 sequences uploaded from the UK to the international GISAID database. Many people who have Omicron say it feels like a common cold, and here are the 8 early warning signs you need to look out for. BA.2 omicron symptoms According to the CDC, the symptoms of Covid-19, including BA.2, are: Fever or chills Cough Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Fatigue Muscle or body. Yet fears of another Omicron wave in the United States may be. For the first time, this data includes analysis on vaccine effectiveness 15+ weeks after the booster dose. The B.1.1.529variant includes a large number of spike protein mutations as well as mutations in other parts of the viral genome. 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. 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. UKHSA is carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive cases were likely to be infectious. A NEW Covid-19 Omicron sub-variant is spreading across Ireland and is the most infectious strain yet. Previous variants of concern which no longer meet the criteria will be redesignated. 1. 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. Thats why its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately. New studies are being undertaken to assess this further. 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. BA.2, also coined as the "stealth" variant, is a relative of Omicron's original variant, BA.1, which tore through the Australian community over Christmas and the New Year period. 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. BA.1 accounts for most of the cases. If you develop any symptoms, isolate immediately and get a PCR test. Omicron soon began branching off into a number of subvariants: BA.2 took off in the spring, and BA.5 came to dominate towards the end of the summer. UKHSA is undertaking further detailed studies. 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. In a subgroup analysis of 4,800 people who were triple-vaccinated and infected with an omicron variant, the authors found that people with BA.2 were 64 percent more likely than BA.1-infected . India is another country where BA.2 is rapidly replacing the Delta and Omicron BA.1 variant, according to molecular biologist Bijaya Dhakal. Omicron has branched into three lineages, explains Thomas Russo, M.D., professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York: BA.1, BA.2, and BA.3. Studies have already shown that this virus travels to different parts of the body, therefore gut-related issues are. BQ.1 (V-22OCT-01) is a BA.5 sub-lineage which has been designated on the basis of rapid growth. 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. 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. SGTF is not a 100% accurate test for Omicron and results are regularly evaluated against sequencing to ensure they are interpreted correctly. Since the middle of February, this growth rate has settled at approximately 75% higher than other circulating Omicron lineages in England. As viruses mutate into new variants, they sometimes split or branch off into sub-lineages. Omicron has a deletion atposition69/70of the spike proteinwhich allows it to be tracked through S gene target failure(SGTF)in some PCR tests. After 2 doses, vaccine effectiveness was 9% and 13% respectively for BA.1 and BA.2, after 25+ weeks. The total number of confirmed cases in England is now 22. The two most reported symptom of patients infected by the Stealth Omicron variant is -dizziness and fatigue. XBB.1.5 remains at very low prevalence in the UK, so estimates of growth are highly uncertain. Other countries that have uploaded more than 100 samples are India (530), Sweden (181), and Singapore (127). As of 18 July 2022, there were 24 cases of BA.2.75 in the UK. We should all continue to test regularly with LFDs [lateral flow devices] and take a PCR [polymerase chain reaction] test if symptoms develop.". The latest number of COVID-19 cases with mutations consistent with B.1.1.529 in England are published on UKHSAs social media channels. Further information is also available in the latest variant technical briefing. 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. Work is underway to identify any links to travel to Southern Africa. 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. 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. We will continue to monitor this situation closely and recommend appropriate public health measures if needed. They save lives and prevent serious illness. Inthe SIREN study, a large cohort of healthcare workers are tested regularly by PCR to detect asymptomatic infection in addition to normal testing practices for symptomatic infection. 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. The COVID Omicron sub-variant BA.2, informally dubbed the "Stealth Omicron" variant, is able to reinfect people who have already had Omicron, a new study suggests. The highly transmissible Omicron variant now accounts for half of the world's infections. 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. Data for the devolved administrations will follow in due course. 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. And in England, more than 1,000 confirmed cases of BA.2 have been identified, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). 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. 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. 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. We have now identified cases in the East Midlands, East of England, London, North East, North West, South East, South West and West Midlands. Vaccine effectiveness (VE) against Omicron has again been updated in this weeks briefing. Those are pretty similar to what people experience with a cold or other seasonal viruses. Omicron continues to grow faster than Delta, with an increased risk of transmission, particularly in contacts outside of the household. UKHSA is updating its variant classification system to give a clearer indication of which variants have significant changes compared to the current dominant variant. Analysis by the UKHSA suggests it could be substantial, although there is a risk of over-estimating growth advantage in the early stages. Why Alex Murdaugh was spared the death penalty, Why Trudeau is facing calls for a public inquiry, The shocking legacy of the Dutch 'Hunger Winter', Why half of India's urban women stay at home. The same happened with Omicron, which includes the lineages BA.1, BA.2, BA.3 and B.1.1.529. This new UKHSA data on Omicron is promising while 2 doses of the vaccine arent enough, we know boosters offer significant protection against the variant and early evidence suggests this strain may be less severe than Delta. 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. It is therefore absolutely critical that we all do everything that we can to help break the chains of transmission and slow the spread of this new variant. BA.2 variant symptoms: Spokane Regional Health District Health Officer Francisco Velazquez told KREM 2 News that the BA.2 variant of the omicron variant has some unique symptoms, too. This analysis is preliminary and highly uncertain because of the small numbers of Omicron cases currently in hospital, inability to effectively measure all previous infections and the limited spread of Omicron into older age groups. Whilst the impact of these variants is uncertain, the variant classification system aims to identify potential risk as early as possible. The first genomes of this variant were uploaded to the international GISAID database on 22 November. This analysis is not an assessment of hospital severity, which will take further time to assess. The total number of confirmed cases in England is now 13. UKHSA encourage everyone to continue to follow the most up-to date guidance. Technical Briefing 34 contains further analysis on symptom comparison on Omicron and Delta. The guidance on vaccination is changing to help all of us bolster our defences in the face of this new variant. XBB (V-22OCT-02) is a recombinant lineage derived from 2 previous Omicron sublineages. These people are spread around the country and are a mix of age ranges between 18 to 85 years the majority had received 2 doses of vaccination. All 3 subvariants have spike protein mutations of L452 and elude immunity from prior BA1 infection. 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 public health advice is the same for all current variants. The risk assessment also suggests that Omicron displays a reduction in protection offered by having had a previous infection or vaccination. 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. 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. 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. The individuals that have tested positive are not connected to each other and are not linked to the previously confirmed cases. Case rates remain high throughout the UK and we must remain vigilant and take up vaccinations. At this point it is not possible to determine where the sublineage may have originated. Thats why its so important that everybody, everywhere, takes simple steps to protect themselves from infection. ; BA.5 sometimes gives rise to more marked symptomssometimes with digestive symptoms . 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. Omicron sublineages BQ.1 and XBB have been given UKHSA variant designations to facilitate continued studies. BA.3 shares most of its mutations with BA.1 and BA.2 except for one. In some places, growth in recorded cases of the sub-variant has been sharp. 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. 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. UKHSA is carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive cases were likely to be infectious. As I previously reported, omicron subvariants have a shorter incubation period, which is why the symptoms may appear earlier. Two variants, CH.1.1 and XBB.1.5, appear to have a growth advantage in the UK. Data and analysis will be released in due course through our regular surveillance reporting. Please take up this offer as soon as you are eligible to protect yourself, your families and your communities. UKHSA has also published a breakdown of confirmed Omicron cases and SGTF cases by local authority. UKHSA has also published analyses related to the original Omicron strain BA.1. Over 40% of hospital admissions were in London. I urge you to come forward as soon as youre eligible to help keep yourself and your loved ones safe. However, one must note, these are only early stage symptoms. Get vaccinated and, for those eligible, come forward for your third or booster dose as appropriate as soon as you are called. We have started to see cases where there are no links to travel, suggesting that we have a small amount of community transmission. However, it should serve as objective evidence that this pandemic is not over. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has identified 75 further cases of COVID-19 with mutations consistent with B.1.1.529 in England, in addition to the previous 29 confirmed cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant known as B.1.1.529. According to the COVID Symptom Study, the five most common symptoms are the same: Runny nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing and sore throat. The individuals who have tested positive and their contacts have been asked to self-isolate. Spector shared a list of symptom prevalence from people who had tested positive for COVID, most of whom were estimated to have caught BA.2, he said.