As of 18 July 2022, there were 24 cases of BA.2.75 in the UK. It is not clear where BA.2 originated, but it was first detected in the Philippines in November. The two most reported symptom of patients infected by the Stealth Omicron variant is -dizziness and fatigue. While in the UK, the individual was in Westminster, London. BA.2 attacking abdomen instead of lungs. Please take up this offer as soon as you are eligible to protect yourself, your families and your communities. Please come forward to receive your booster as soon as possible. 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 latest number of COVID-19 cases with mutations consistent with B.1.1.529 in England are published on UKHSAs social media channels. If you have symptoms take a PCR test and isolate at home until you receive a negative result. 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 . BA.1 accounts for most of the cases. What are the symptoms of BA.2? This is still a very small number of cases but is being investigated carefully to understand whether it is related to travel, any other variant or whether there is evidence of spread of Omicron beginning in the community. 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. A separate UK study also found higher transmissibility for BA.2 compared to BA.1. 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. 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. There is currently no data on the severity of BA.2. 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 . The risk assessment conducted by UKHSA together with academic partners found that CH.1.1 and XBB.1.5 are currently the variants most likely to take over from BQ.1 as the next dominant variant in the UK, unless further novel variants arise. 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. Of these, XD and XF are recombinants of Delta and Omicron BA.1, while XE is a recombinant of Omicron BA.1 and BA.2. Experts say BA.2 has extensive mutations and is about 40 percent more infectious than the original Omicron variant. Currently, approximately half of all tests conducted in the UK are able to detect SGTF. UKHSAis carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive cases were likely to be infectious. Aside from all of the usual COVID symptoms, like a dry cough, a scratchy throat, fatigue, and muscle aches, the Stealth variant is thought to cause a few other distinct issues. UKHSA encourage everyone to continue to follow the most up-to date guidance. Current guidance from NHS England is that the main symptoms of Covid continue to be a high temperature, a new continuous cough, a loss or change to your sense. Follow the latest self-isolation rules if you develop symptoms wear a mask where required to do so, take regular LFD tests and observe good hand hygiene. It is one for the scientists to watch, rather than for the public to be alarmed about at this stage. Work from home if you are able to, wear a mask indoors around other people, and ventilate indoor spaces well. The analysis looked at 581 people with confirmed Omicron. Updated Jan. 27, 2023 The omicron subvariant of COVID-19, BA.5, became one of the dominant strains of the virus in the fall of 2022 in the U.S. At that time, it was the most easily spread strain to date and is able to evade immunity from COVID infection and vaccination. As of 2 May 2022, 21 confirmed cases of Omicron BA.4 and 19 confirmed cases of Omicron BA.5 have been detected in England. [92] Reactions [ edit] Vaccine producers [ edit] 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. Here is what we know about it. This particular recombinant, XE, has shown a variable growth rate and we cannot yet confirm whether it has a true growth advantage. Scratchy throat. Our data shows that getting the booster vaccine is more effective against this variant than 2 doses alone. 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. There can be several reasons for growth advantage, but in the case of BA.4 and BA.5, laboratory data suggests a degree of immune escape which is likely to contribute. Vaccination remains our best defence against future COVID-19 waves, so it is still as important as ever that people come take up all the doses for which they are eligible as soon as possible. As we all work to limit the high levels of transmission of this variant over the Christmas period, we are urging people to test regularly, particularly before attending social gatherings. XBB.1.5 remains at very low prevalence in the UK, so estimates of growth are highly uncertain. 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. 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. Dr Jenny Harries, Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said: Viruses mutate often and at random, and it is not unexpected that new variants will continue to arise as the pandemic goes on, particularly while the case rate remains high. Getty Images BA.2 was. As is routine for any new variants under investigation,UKHSAis carrying out laboratory and epidemiological investigations to better understand the characteristics of this variant. This increased to 63% for BA.1 and 70% for BA.2 at 2 weeks following a third vaccine. Dr Meera Chand, Director of Clinical and Emerging Infections, UKHSA, said: Through our genomic surveillance we continue to see evolution of variants in the Omicron family. 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. UKHSA designated variant B.1.1.529 as a variant under investigation (VUI) on Thursday 25 November. BA.2 is believed to be far more contagious than the earlier Omicron strain, and was blamed for a fresh surge in Denmark. UKHSA will continue to monitor the situation closely as a matter of routine, as we do all data relating to SARS-CoV-2 variants both in the UK and internationally. 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. Early data shows that young children who are hospitalised experience mild illness and are discharged after short stays in hospital. The individuals and their households have been told to self-isolate. None of these cases are known to have been hospitalised or died. 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. As viruses mutate often and at random, it is not unusual for small numbers of cases to arise featuring new sets of mutations. UKHSA is constantly monitoring the situation and working to understand the implications for public health. Data and analysis will be released in due course through our regular surveillance reporting. Consider wearing a face covering when in crowded places. Twoto4 weeks after a booster dose, vaccine effectiveness ranged from around 65 to 75%, dropping to 55 to 70% at 5 to 9 weeks and 40 to 50% from 10+ weeks after the booster. BA.2 has an increased growth rate compared to BA.1 in all regions of England where there are enough cases to assess it. Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid, said: We are learning to live with this virus and thanks to our world-leading surveillance system we can rapidly detect and carefully monitor any genetic changes to COVID-19. 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. But the preliminary assessment found no evidence that vaccines would be any less effective against symptomatic disease for either sub-variant. However, some experts believe that BA.2 doesn't present symptoms different from the original Omicron. While prevalence remains high, make sure to wear your mask in indoor settings and take a lateral flow test before meeting others. In England, the infection rate increased in those aged 25 years to 49 years and those aged 70 years and over in the week ending 21 February 2023. Now more countries, particularly in Asia and Europe, are reporting an increase in cases driven by BA.2. The individuals that have tested positive and their contacts are all isolating. We have now identified cases in the East Midlands, East of England, London, South East and North West. Analysis from routine contact tracing data indicates that transmission is likely to be higher among contacts of BA.2 cases in households (13.4%) than those for contacts of other Omicron cases(10.3%) in the period 27 December 2021 to 11 January 2022. There is still uncertainty around the significance of the changes to the viral genome, and further analyses will now be undertaken. Headache. Anewrisk assessment for OmicronVOC-21NOV-01 (B.1.1.529)has also been published and is available here. 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. 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. The areas with the largest number of confirmed cases are London (146) and the South East (97). Six cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant known as B.1.1.529 have also been identified in Scotland, with 4 cases in the Lanarkshire area and 2 in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area. 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. 2023 BBC. It is projected that if current trends continue unchanged, the UK will exceed one million infections a day by the end of this month. 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. Everyone should complete a primary course as soon as possible for most this will be a first and second dose. UKHSAs new analysis examines 3 recombinants, known as XF, XE, and XD. Runny nose. 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. However, UKHSA scientists say there is no room to be complacent. "Looking at other countries where BA.2 is now overtaking, we're not seeing any higher bumps in hospitalisation than expected," the WHO's Dr Boris Pavlin says. The most affected local authorities are West Northamptonshire, where there are 49 confirmed cases and 68 SGTF, and Manchester, where there are 7 confirmed cases and 61 SGTF. 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. Due to the early nature of the findings, all estimates are subject to significant uncertainty and are subject to change. Updated analysisshows theadditional incremental benefit from each vaccine exposureincluding for boosters, even in those who have had prior infection. A runny nose, gastrointestinal issues, headache and a skin rash are other common signs and symptoms. Congestion. The designation was made on the basis of increasing numbers of BA.2 sequences identified both domestically and internationally. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published the latest Variant Technical Briefing. These include a high temperature, a new. The individuals who have tested positive and their contacts are all isolating. 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. At this point it is not possible to determine where the sublineage may have originated. It remains vital that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets aPCRtest immediately. As with any other coronavirus (COVID-19) variant, the vast majority do not confer any advantage to the virus and die out relatively quickly. UKHSA is carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive cases were likely to be infectious. There are thought to be subtle differences in the symptoms that BA. 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. After 2 doses, vaccine effectiveness was 9% and 13% respectively for BA.1 and BA.2, after 25+ weeks. Scientists in the UK and abroad are closely monitoring BA.2, a sub-variant of Omicron. Case rates remain high throughout the UK and we must remain vigilant and take up vaccinations. Omicron BA2 symptoms include taste loss. Until the week beginning 23 November 2021, the weekly count of cases with SGTF was routinely less than 150, making up less than 0.1% of all cases. UKHSA has performed an initial laboratory evaluation of the current lateral flow devices (LFDs) for COVID-19 in current use in the UK. What are the most common symptoms of Omicron BA.2? The v 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. It is the best defence we have against this highly transmissible new variant. The increasing prevalence of Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 is likely to be a factor in the recent increase in cases seen in the UK and elsewhere, though there is currently no evidence that Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 cause more severe illness than previous variants. 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. Wear a mask in crowded spaces and, when meeting people indoors, open windows and doors to ventilate the room. The original Delta variant remains overwhelmingly dominant in the UK, making up approximately 99.8% of all cases. Therefore, although early suggestions are that individuals may be less likely to require hospitalisation, many more people are likely to become infected. Vaccine effectiveness against severe disease from Omicron is not yet known but is expected to be significantly higher than protection against symptomatic disease. 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. Studiesof households and contactshave found that there is a higher risk of transmission to contacts from an Omicron case, when compared to Delta. Getting your booster jab remains the most effective way of protecting yourself and others from infection and severe disease. SGTF is not a 100% accurate test for Omicron and results are regularly evaluated against sequencing to ensure they are interpreted correctly. That's because there could be cross-immunity - an infection with BA.1 could offer some protection against BA.2. 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. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. 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 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 .
