No cases have been identified in the UK. 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. Prior infection is 44% effective at preventing future infection, increasing to 71% with 3 doses of the vaccine. As is routine for any new variants under investigation,UKHSAis carrying out laboratory and epidemiological investigations to better understand the characteristics of this variant. Now more countries, particularly in Asia and Europe, are reporting an increase in cases driven by 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. The BA.2 subvariant of Omicron, or the "stealth" variant, has been outcompeting the previously dominant BA.1 subvariant in several countries. 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. These include a high temperature, a new. 8 Research published in April 2022 in The Lancet also found. Face coverings in crowded indoor spaces and hand washing will help to reduce transmission of infection and are especially important if you have any respiratory symptoms. The team at ZOE, a study that tracks symptoms . People suffering From the Omicron BA2 variant said they had fever and body Aches. The UKHSAs COVID-19 variant technical briefing 43, published today, includes epidemiological analysis that shows that Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 now make up more than half of new COVID-19 cases in England, accounting for approximately 22% and 39% of cases, respectively. It appears to have a growth advantage compared to the version of Omicron, BA.1, that has swept the globe. 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. As with other kinds of variant, most will die off relatively quickly. However, vaccinated people are still less likely to get infected than unvaccinated individuals, and they are also less likely to pass it on. One case is located in Camden, London, and one case is located in Wandsworth, London. The latest variant technical briefing suggests that Omicron continues to grow rapidly in all regions of England as measured by confirmed cases and S gene target failure (SGTF). It is one for the scientists to watch, rather than for the public to be alarmed about at this stage. 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 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. 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. 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 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. The Omicron BA.2 subvariant is fast becoming the dominant strain of COVID-19, with symptoms similar to previous strains of the virus. 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. 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. Runny nose/congestion. ; BA.5 sometimes gives rise to more marked symptomssometimes with digestive symptoms . The analysis shows that coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the UK are primarily made up of BQ.1 and its sublineages, consistent with the UKHSA risk assessment published in October. One individual diagnosed in hospital has sadly died. Thats why its so important that everybody, everywhere, takes simple steps to protect themselves from infection. According to Baric, Omicron is the first SARS-CoV-2 variant to evolve in the context of mounting immunity in the populationthe result of vaccines and prior infection with other forms of the . A total 637 cases of XE a recombinant of Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 have been confirmed in the UK so far. BQ.1 (V-22OCT-01) is a BA.5 sub-lineage which has been designated on the basis of rapid growth. The pace of sharing sequences by India is very slow, median days from collection to deposition is 69 days according to GISAID. Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: This data is yet more evidence that vaccines remain our best line of defence against COVID-19. Analyses of sequenced SGTF samples has indicated that until mid-November, more than 99% of these were Delta cases. Scientists in the UK and abroad are closely monitoring BA.2, a sub-variant of Omicron. You have rejected additional cookies. This analysis excludes individuals with confirmed previous COVID-19 infection. Dr Jenny Harries, Chief Executive of UKHSA, said: We are continuing our efforts to understand the effect of this variant on transmissibility, severe disease, mortality, antibody response and vaccine efficacy. The latest Omicron SARS-CoV-2 subvariant, which scientists have labeled BA.2.12.1, is on track to become the most virulent strain in the United States currently. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services. Since the middle of February, this growth rate has settled at approximately 75% higher than other circulating Omicron lineages in England. SGTF is not a 100% accurate test for Omicron and results are regularly evaluated against sequencing to ensure they are interpreted correctly. Neutralisation studies are currently being undertaken at the University of Oxford. A runny nose, gastrointestinal. 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. Omicron has a deletion atposition69/70of the spike proteinwhich allows it to be tracked through S gene target failure(SGTF)in some PCR tests. Data on this wont be available for several weeks. Hospital admissions are increasing, and we cannot risk the NHS being overwhelmed. 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 some countries, BA.2 accounts for more than half of sequenced Omicron cases, it adds. 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. How are Covid rules changing across UK schools? 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. 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. UKHSA has also published analyses related to the original Omicron strain BA.1. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published its latest COVID-19 variant technical briefing. 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. The individuals who have tested positive and their contacts have been asked to self-isolate. Headache. Until we have this evidence, we must exercise the highest level of caution in drawing conclusions about any significant risks to peoples health. The variant technical briefing also includes updated analysis on Omicron BA.2, currently the dominant variant in the UK. 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. Teams nationally and locally are working at pace to identify and trace all close contacts of every Omicron case. Download the data.xlsx. There is currently no data on the severity of BA.2. Therefore, although early suggestions are that individuals may be less likely to require hospitalisation, many more people are likely to become infected. ; An increase in new cases is being . The two most reported symptom of patients infected by the Stealth Omicron variant is -dizziness and fatigue. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has released variant technical briefing 41. 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. 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. UKHSA encourage everyone to continue to follow the most up-to date guidance. UKHSA designated variant B.1.1.529 as a variant under investigation (VUI) on Thursday 25 November. New studies are being undertaken to assess this further. A NEW Covid-19 Omicron sub-variant is spreading across Ireland and is the most infectious strain yet. Please also make sure to follow all Government guidance to reduce the spread of infection. We are continuing to monitor the data closely. Well send you a link to a feedback form. It is critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately. Delta remains the predominant variantin England, accounting for over 99% of all COVID-19 cases. As previously published, data continues to show vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation for Omicron remains high. The first sequences were submitted from the Philippines, and most samples have been uploaded from Denmark (6,411). Protection against hospitalisation from vaccines is good against the Omicron variant. Thats why its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately.. Following the change in JCVI advice earlier this week, 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. This increased to 63% for BA.1 and 70% for BA.2 at 2 weeks following a third vaccine. Work is underway to identify any links to travel. There is evidence that protection against symptomatic disease wanes after the second dose of vaccine, and then improves after the booster. The same happened with Omicron, which includes the lineages BA.1, BA.2, BA.3 and B.1.1.529. Dr Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Advisor for UKHSA, said: Ongoing variant analysis is an important part of our pandemic response. 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. We use some essential cookies to make this website work. 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. Genome sequencing among the states is not always fair. pic.twitter.com/ESQupxUet4. BA.2 is found to be able to alarmingly reinfect patients originally infected by Omicron BA.1. A further 16 cases have been identified in Scotland, bringing the total in Scotland to 29. 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. Experts say BA.2 has extensive mutations and is about 40 percent more infectious than the original Omicron variant. Please come forward to receive your booster as soon as possible. Both have links to travel to Southern Africa. Studies have already shown that this virus travels to different parts of the body, therefore gut-related issues are. 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. There have been recent reports of people who experience symptoms like those of viral meningitis, an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord membranes. Our continued genomic surveillance allows us to further investigate variants that are growing within the UK. Anewrisk assessment for OmicronVOC-21NOV-01 (B.1.1.529)has also been published and is available here. More investigation is required to fully determine the extent of these mutations impact. To help us improve GOV.UK, wed like to know more about your visit today. 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. While signs remain encouraging on Omicrons severity compared with Delta, the high levels of community transmission continue and may cause pressures on health services. A further case has been identified in Scotland, bringing the total to 10. 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. 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. 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. 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. An important question is whether BA.2 or BA.3 will become a new dominating "variant of concern". 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. Omicron BA.2 Variant Severity 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. UKHSAis carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive cases were likely to be infectious. A runny nose, gastrointestinal issues, headache and a skin rash are other common signs and symptoms. UKHSAwill continue to carry out laboratory and epidemiological investigations to better understand the characteristics of this variant. SUMMARY : The basics of the Omicron sub-variant, the BA.5, which is currently the majority in France: BA.5 is more contagious than BA.2 (January wave), which was itself more contagious than BA.1 and even more than Delta (variant 2021). 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. 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. 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. The Delta variant, for example, comprises 200 different sub-variants. UKHSAs most recent variant technical briefing can be found on GOV.UK. It includes a complete list of studies planned and already under way into the emerging variant. Our continued genomic surveillance allows us to detect them and assess whether they are significant. 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. They say its possible that the virus has now changed its pattern and is affecting the stomach. In addition, UKHSA has published data which shows the detection of cases exhibiting S-gene target failure (SGTF) in recent weeks across the country. BA.2 attacking abdomen instead of lungs. There are thought to be subtle differences in the symptoms that BA. 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. BA.3 shares most of its mutations with BA.1 and BA.2 except for one. 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. This will include analysing live samples of the new variant in our laboratories to investigate properties including its response to current vaccines. Technical Briefing 34 contains further analysis on symptom comparison on Omicron and Delta. 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. Overall, the original Omicron lineage, BA.1, is dominant in the UK and the proportion of BA.2 cases is currently low. Positive tests with sufficient virus detected from people arriving in the UK are sent for confirmation through Whole Genome Sequencing, regardless of the presence or absence of SGTF. Infection rate corrected to one million infections a day. Our findings suggest the current wave of Omicron infections is unlikely to lead to a major surge in severe disease in care home populations with high levels of vaccine coverage and/or natural immunity. More recent data on Omicron cases is published regularly here.