what are the symptoms of stealth omicron
By comparison, it's responsible The stealth variant has about 20 mutations that differ from the original Omicron, according to Francois Balloux, a professor of computational system biology and director of the UCL Genetics Institute in London. I don't see this moving the dial significantly in terms of posing a new, huge problem.". One can also rule out symptoms like loss of smell or taste and shortness of breath, as the BA.2 variant does not affect the lungs primarily. The data may be limited here, as Dr. Edwards confirms, but the reality is that experts are largely unsure if certain variants can cause reinfection more than once. Fever or chills Cough Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Fatigue Muscle or body aches Headache New loss of taste or smell Sore throat or hoarse voice Congestion or runny nose Nausea or vomiting Diarrhoea High temperature Continuous cough Back pain A loss of appetite Delerium Heartburn Bloating Sleep paralysis Skin rash Night sweats But now, there is another concern on the horizon: the Omicron subvariant, BA.2. What are the symptoms of BA.2? Data released in late January showed BA.2 to be 33% more infections than BA.1 among a . The question I'm getting now is do we need a second booster? Most vaccinated people either have no symptoms or exhibit very mild symptoms, according to health officials, and the virus rarely results in hospitalization or death for those individuals. In Denmark, for example, BA.2 is responsible for almost half of COVID-19 cases in the country, according to governmental research institute Statens Serum Institut. AMA Recovery Plan for America's Physicians, Featured updates: COVID-19 resource center, Subscribe to the AMAs Advocacy Update newsletter, AMA Morning Rounds: Your daily dose of health care news. One of the common symptoms of Stealth Omicron - much like the original variant - is vertigo or dizziness. However, one must note, these are only early stage symptoms. Due to its novelty, some Americans may be wondering if this "stealth" version of Omicron may lead to COVID-19 infections that feel worse understandably so, given how fast Omicron has spread here in the U.S. Read on to learn more about everything you should know about this new COVID-19 variant, including if this mutation has caused a shift in known symptoms associated with SARS-CoV-2 at large. So, COVID tests can detect Arcturus, and existing COVID treatments work. Is Nausea a Sign of a COVID-19 Infection? } ); RELATED: What Is BA.2, the So-Called Stealth Omicron Variant? "This may mean higher peak infections in places that have yet to peak, and a slowdown in the downward trends in places that have already experienced peak Omicron," Thomas Peacock, PhD, a virologist at Imperial College London, explain to The New York Times. And while numbers in the country are still on the lower side, some virus experts have expressed concern that BA.2 could stall the progress that is being made in the U.S. "BA.2 may extend the Omicron wave a little longer, but I don't think it changes the overall trajectory of the pandemic," Amesh Adalja, MD, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told Prevention, adding that "there is no cause for concern with BA.2 as everything you do to handle BA.1 is applicable.". While it will still take time to know even more about BA.2, some virus experts have already pinpointed some potential common signs of the stealth Omicron variant. Android, The best in medicine, delivered to your mailbox. Its a whirlwind of activities with lots of planning Another day, another COVID-19 variant in the news at least thats what it feels like these days. Transitioningfrom medical student to resident can be a challenge. If you're experiencing unexplained symptoms detailed on the list above in any sequence, combination or severity, your best bet is to seek out a COVID-19 test to ensure you are healthy. This means there has been a break from some of the earlier tell-tale COVID symptoms like loss of smell or taste and shortness of breath. People are really concerned because: oneyes, it's here in the United States, and twoyes, it's caused outbreaks in other countries. If there's a question, take a test And while numbers in the country are still on the lower side, some virus experts have expressed concern that BA.2 could stall the progress that is being made in the U.S. For some people, coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in a couple weeks. Experts say BA.2 has extensive mutations and . Experts speaking to outlets like the San Francisco Chronicle and Deseret News indicate that the likelihood of someone becoming sick through exposure to any Omicron variant after experiencing an Omicron infection earlier this winter is very unlikely, but not out of the question. Learn more about improving surgical outcomes for senior patients. Stealth Omicron represented only 9% of infections, and BA.4 represented just over 11% of infections. This article is accurate as of press time. "It's not like this variant has increased ability to evade vaccine-induced immunity," Thomas Russo, MD, professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York, told Prevention. One of the biggest concerns among health experts when it comes to BA.2 is the wrench it could throw into a swift exit from the omicron wave. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Stealth Omicron: New variant seen in 'all regions in England' - top 20 symptoms to spot OMICRON took the world by surprise, spreading like wildfire and sparking fears of immune escape. navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); In this installment, AMA member Nancy Crum, MD, an infectious disease specialist at Avita Health System in Galion, Ohio, discusses what patients need to know about the BA.2 Omicron subvariant. As per one of the leading professors in the UK, cases of Stealth Omicron show symptoms of the gut. These symptoms can appear within two-three days after getting infected with the virus and may linger in the body for longer. daily newsletter. RELATED: These 4 New COVID Symptoms Could Mean You Have Omicron, Doctors Warn. The Delta Variant killed the most number of people during the second wave. These 4 New COVID Symptoms Could Mean You Have Omicron, Doctors Warn, For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter, This One Symptom Could Be Your First Sign of Omicron, Doctors Warn. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. This subvariant seems closely related to XBB.1.15, the Omicron subvariant that dominated late last year and early 2023. Omicron BA.2 stealth variant: Do you need to worry about the dominant strain sweeping across the U.S? The good news, however, is that Omicron cases have waned after its predicted January peak and will hopefully continue to trend downward. People Are Saying COVID Could Become Endemic But What Does That Mean? According to the infectious disease expert, this includes making sure you're fully vaccinated, getting your booster shot when you're eligible, and wearing a mask in indoor spaces. If you've had a COVID infection, we still want people to get vaccinated to provide them with even more protection against the variants that circulate. Again, here in Illinois, we are seeing these rising cases and a context of much lower cases than we had seen in the winter. Most read in Health News GUTTED Starbucks customers share 'nasty stomach issues' after trying new menu item SIZE MATTERS Scrotum 'webbing' op that boosts penis size and sex life surges in popularity WINE DOWN She is the President of Global Insight Advisory Network, and has a Masters degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA. If you have any concerns about the accuracy of our content, please reach out to our editors by e-mailing "It's like when Omicron first hit. Meaning, you shouldn't expect a brand new symptom to appear if you happen to be impacted by "stealth" Omicron specifically largely, the side effects of . A new version of the omicron variant is starting to spread around the world. The concern is that people are discontinuing mask wearing, opening up venues and getting rid of a lot of the COVID-19 precautions, which may provide a foothold for this and future variants then to take off., We've been seeing a lot more of sore throat and pharyngitis that we didn't really see before, said Dr. Crum. The original omicron variant, which scientists call BA.1 or B.1.1.529, was until recently the most transmissible known version of the virus. According to the CDC, COVID cases had fallen 20 percent in the last two weeks, despite Omicron's dominance. Its more contagious, but not more severe. . She is also an 11-time marathoner, a USATF Level 1-certified running coach, and an avid traveler. In case you cant find any email from our side, please check the spam folder. sound information and advice to make the smartest, healthiest choices. Some of these fall in line with tell-tale Omicron symptoms. This might be especially true given the fact that no research has indicated that the subvariant is any more likely to counteract the efficacy of our COVID vaccines. Arcturus or XBB.1.16 is a subvariant of Omicron. Its really hitting people at the prime of their life and people who never were hospitalized for COVID that just cant shake the symptoms that go on and on.. Investigations into the characteristics of BA.2, including immune escape properties and virulence, should be prioritized independently (and comparatively) to BA.1, the agency added. XBB 1.16 is the latest version of the Omicron variant. BA.1, aka the Omicron that people have largely been tracking, is missing one of three target genes that are used in a standard PCR test, Dr. Russo explains. That means that while the test can detect a BA.2 infection, it looks like it is the Delta variant instead. Even though WHO agrees that the knowledge about B.A2 is still developing, but this lineage is more diverse. In addition to Runner's World, she has contributed health, fitness and wellness content to Women's Health, SELF, Prevention, Healthline, and the Houston Chronicle, among other publications. It's expected that more data will be made available to U.S. healthcare providers soon, as BA.2 accounts for about 50% of new COVID-19 cases in Denmark and has become the dominant strain in India, per CNN. But the reality is that traditional prevention strategies of masking and hand hygiene remain important for these groups., The best thing we could do is all be immune against coronavirus so that these variants could slowly fade away, Dr. Crum said. The. This subvariant has a high number of mutations compared to Omicron. There will always be evolution of this virus towards heightened transmissibility, he adds. According to data from Spector's Zoe COVID Study App, there are five common symptoms being reported with this variant: runny nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing, and sore throat. And alongside its similarly rapid spread, this subvariant has been dubbed the "stealth" Omicron variant by many scientists because it is actually harder to detect than Omicron. It's no secret that health experts have detected that Omicron-fueled infections may have shorter incubation times compared to earlier strains but it's also too soon to tell if "stealth" Omicron has an even more abridged incubation period. BA.2 has several key mutations, with the most important of those occurring in the spike protein that studs the outside of the virus. The BA.2 variant is now under investigation because it could have a growth advantage, replacing the original omicron variant, per Reuters. Read more. Itll be highlight transmissible to their family and friends and we should keep our guard up., We need to pay careful attention to see if rates will start to go up, and if so, we may need to go back to some of the mandates, Dr. Crum said. "The most reported symptoms of Omicron are really very much like a cold, especially in people who've been vaccinated," Claire Steves, PhD, a scientist from King's College London involved with Zoe, confirmed in a Jan. 6 video. Get the latest news in medicine and public health delivered to your inbox MondayFriday. "Compared to [strains] that came before [Omicron], people who had COVID-19 in the past were five times as likely to get infected again, and so that's one of the questions that people are still looking at," Allison Arwady, M.D., Chicago's Department of Public Health Commissioner, told NBC5 Chicago recently. Omicron is very contagious and, according to Danish scientists, the BA.2 variant is slightly more contagious (1.5 times) than the first Omicron strain, Dr. Naik explains. The BA.2 Omicron subvariant is now the dominant version of COVID-19 in the U.S. So what this is going to mean for us is really the big question, Dr. Crum said. Make his special day extra specialhe deserves it. Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. The omicron variant and its sublineages made the virus much more contagious and capable of infecting more people, but it's led to less severe disease, on average, than the delta variant .