However, vaccinated people are still less likely to get infected than unvaccinated individuals, and they are also less likely to pass it on. While in the UK, the individual was in Westminster, London. Well send you a link to a feedback form. The proportion of test results displaying SGTF has been very low in recent months but an increase has been observed in the past week. News stories, speeches, letters and notices, Reports, analysis and official statistics, Data, Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports. UKHSAis carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive cases were likely to be infectious. There will be no other categorisation of variants, including no variant under investigation (VUI) category. The Omicron BA.2 subvariant is fast becoming the dominant strain of COVID-19, with symptoms similar to previous strains of the virus. However, it is not confirmatory as there are a number of other reasons that a sample might exhibit SGTF. ; An increase in new cases is being . There is no data to suggest that BA.2 leads to more severe disease than previous Omicron sub-variants. Omicron BA.2 lacks the genetic deletion on the spike protein which produces S-gene target failure (SGTF) in some polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, which has been used as a proxy for Omicron cases previously. In the age group of 20-50 years, significant severity is not expected. It is one for the scientists to watch, rather than for the public to be alarmed about at this stage. If you have any symptoms of a respiratory infection, and a high temperature or feel unwell, try to stay at home or away from others especially those who are elderly or vulnerable. Vaccine effectiveness (VE) against Omicron has again been updated in this weeks briefing. Experts in Kolkata say that BA.2 symptoms are mostly associated with abdomen and stomach instead of cough or shortness of breath. Evidence continues to show that Omicron is transmitting more rapidly than the dominant Delta variant. UKHSAs latest analysis suggests that Omicron BA.5 is growing 35.1% faster than Omicron BA.2, while Omicron BA.4 is growing approximately 19.1% faster. Cases have been confirmed through whole genome sequencing in all 9 regions of England. 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. 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. While BA.2 appears to be more transmissible than previous variants, there is no data yet to suggest that it is any more severe. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has released variant technical briefing 50. How are Covid rules changing across UK schools? A runny nose, gastrointestinal. The individuals who have tested positive and their contacts are all isolating. 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 focussed contact tracing. That's because there could be cross-immunity - an infection with BA.1 could offer some protection against BA.2. So far, vaccination means that the rise in cases is not translating to a rise in severe illness and deaths. These include a high temperature, a new. 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. Dr Meera Chand, Director of Clinical and Emerging Infections at UKHSA, said: The reclassification of these variants as variants of concern reflects emerging evidence on the growth of BA.4 and BA.5 internationally and in the UK. 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. Work is underway to identify any links to travel. There is currently no evidence of community transmission within the UK. The highly transmissible Omicron variant now accounts for half of the world's infections. Since then, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has classified two subvariants, BA.1.1 and BA.2. BA.2, also known as "stealth omicron," is considered a subvariant of omicron. BA.3 shares most of its mutations with BA.1 and BA.2 except for one. Two major BA.2 variant symptoms include dizziness and fatigue, as I wrote for the Deseret News. 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. SGTF is not a 100% accurate test for Omicron and results are regularly evaluated against sequencing to ensure they are interpreted correctly. UKHSA has also published a breakdown of confirmed Omicron cases and SGTF cases by local authority. "The symptoms of the Omicron variant, which includes the BA.2 lineage, and the Delta variant, are similar," says Dr. Erica Johnson, MD, the chair of the Infectious Disease Board of the . The v The majority of these cases are located in London and the South East. 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. The total number of confirmed cases in England is now 104. Those are pretty similar to what people experience with a cold or other seasonal viruses. #India is another country where #SARS_CoV_2 BA.2 is rapidly replacing #Delta & #Omicron BA.1. These groups have been prioritised for booster doses since the start of the rollout in September to increase their protection. Read about our approach to external linking. Its not too late to catch up if youve missed boosters, or even first doses so please take your recommended vaccines. Congestion. The first sequences were submitted from the Philippines, and most samples have been uploaded from Denmark (6,411). As with other kinds of variant, most will die off relatively quickly. This is not an unusual occurrence and several recombinant SARS-CoV-2 variants have been identified over the course of the pandemic. 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. BA.1 accounts for most of the cases. 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. Other countries that have uploaded more than 100 samples are India (530), Sweden (181), and Singapore (127). 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. They are our best defence and we have turbocharged our rollout programme inviting 7 million more people over the age of 40 to get their booster jab so even more people get protection from this disease. Data by variant related to intensive care unit admissions is presented and an analysis into the effect of the recent surge of Omicron cases in care homes is also available in the latest technical briefing. In severe cases, the SpO2 Level may also decrease. Anyone who is contacted because of a link to a probable or possible Omicron case will be asked to take a PCR test, even if they have received a positive COVID-19PCRtestwithin the last 90 days. Night sweats Scratchy throat Dry cough Mild muscle aches In data published by the UKHSA on January 14, they found that NHS test and trace data revealed a loss of smell or taste was reported less. Delta remains the predominant variantin England, accounting for over 99% of all COVID-19 cases. Approximately half of PCR tests in the UK are able to detect SGTF. 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. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? A growth rate potentially compatible with the eventual replacement of the current dominant variant. 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. Runny nose. 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. 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. To help us improve GOV.UK, wed like to know more about your visit today. Whilst Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 are in the early stages of growth in the UK, analysis of the available data suggests that they are likely to have a growth advantage over the currently-dominant Omicron BA.2 variant. Wed like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. It is not unexpected to see new lineages and continued investigation is a normal part of the surveillance of an infectious disease. There are also hybrid strains, such as XE, which is a combination of BA.1 and BA.2 By Alex Finnis In some countries, BA.2 accounts for more than half of sequenced Omicron cases, it adds. 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. Analysis shows that protection against symptomatic disease 2 to 4 weeks after a booster dose ranges from around 65% to 75%, dropping to 55% to 65% at 5 to 9 weeks and 45% to 50% 10 weeks or more following the booster dose. That contrasts to Denmark, where it has become dominant. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. What is the stealth omicron, or BA.2, variant? 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. UKHSA has also this week published further vaccine effectiveness data against hospitalisation following a booster dose. This analysis excludes individuals with confirmed previous COVID-19 infection. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has released variant technical briefing 41. Both have links to travel to Southern Africa. Getty Images BA.2 was. BA.2 is estimated to account for approximately 93.7% of cases in England, with the highest prevalence in the South East (96.4%) and the lowest in the East Midlands (91.1%). As part of UKHSAs routine genomic surveillance, approximately 15 to 20% of all positive PCR tests are also sent for sequencing. Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against this new variant please get your first, second or booster jab without delay. 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. 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. Omicron sublineages BQ.1 and XBB have been given UKHSA variant designations to facilitate continued studies. We continue to urge everyone who is eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine and booster. All age groups are affected, including the 75s and over, who are due a spring booster jab to top up protection. Dr Meera Chand, Director of Clinical and Emerging Infection at UKHSA, said: It is not unexpected to see new variants of SARS-CoV-2 emerge. UKHSA scientists are urging anyone who has not had all the vaccines they are eligible for to make sure that they get them as soon as possible. Dr Chand said: "So far, there is insufficient evidence to determine whether BA.2 causes more severe illness than Omicron BA.1. A major ailment is not to be expected for the age group 20-50 years. It was designated a variant of concern (VOC) on Saturday 27 November. There are insufficient severe cases of Omicronas yetto analyse vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation, but this is more likely to be sustained, particularly after a booster. It is therefore vital that people continue to exercise caution in order to limit the transmission of the virus. 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. Case rates remain high throughout the UK and we must remain vigilant and take up vaccinations. The Delta variant sub-lineage known as Delta AY.4.2 was designated a variant under investigation (VUI) by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on 20 October 2021 and has been given the official name VUI-21OCT-01. As previously published, data continues to show vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation for Omicron remains high. In some places, growth in recorded cases of the sub-variant has been sharp. UKHSAis 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. 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. A preliminary assessment did not find evidence of a difference in vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease for BA.2 compared to BA.1. Thats why its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately. While BA.1 and BA.2 are similar, they are 20 mutations apart. Its critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets aPCRtest immediately. The individuals that have tested positive and their contacts are all isolating. A recombinant variant occurs when an individual becomes infected with 2 or more variants at the same time, resulting in a mixing of their genetic material within the patients body. Recent studies suggest that BA.2 has a. While prevalence remains high, make sure to wear your mask in indoor settings and take a lateral flow test before meeting others. Data on this wont be available for several weeks. 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. 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. It contains updated analysis on Omicron hospitalisation risk, vaccine efficacy against symptomatic disease from Omicron, and the COVID-19 reinfection rate. People infected with Omicron are also less likely to experience fever or loss of taste and smell. Neither have been designated as variants of concern by UKHSA. Dr Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said: Hospitalisations always lag a few weeks behind infections, therefore it isnt surprising that we have started to see people being admitted to hospital with the Omicron variant. The BA.2 subvariant of Omicron, or the "stealth" variant, has been outcompeting the previously dominant BA.1 subvariant in several countries. 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. 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. UKHSA has also released a variant risk assessment for Omicron BA.4 and BA.5, summarising the emerging epidemiology and laboratory evidence. We will continue to monitor this situation closely and recommend appropriate public health measures if needed. This analysis found that the risk of presentation to emergency care or hospital admission with Omicron (testing for symptomatic or asymptomatic infection) was approximately half of that for Delta, while the risk of hospital admission alone with Omicron was approximately one-third of that for Delta. We now know that BA.2 has an increased growth rate which can be seen in all regions in England. Here is what we know about it. 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. 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 will continue to designate new variants, and these will receive a variant number (in the format V-date-number). The Omicron variant of Covid-19 includes the lineages BA.1, BA.2, BA.3 and B.1.1.529. This is consistent with analysis published yesterday by Imperial College London and the University of Edinburgh. Getting your booster jab remains the most effective way of protecting yourself and others from infection and severe disease. In this analysis, the risk of hospitalisation is lower for Omicron cases with symptomatic or asymptomatic infection after 2 and 3 doses of vaccine, with an 81% (95% confidence interval 77 to 85%) reduction in the risk of hospitalisation after 3 doses compared to unvaccinated Omicron cases. Since then, several sub-variants of Omicron surfaced, including BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, and BA.5. 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. One case is located in Camden, London, and one case is located in Wandsworth, London. Runny or congested nose Feeling fatigued Headache New, continuous cough Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Muscle or body aches New loss of a sense of taste or smell Sore throat Nausea or vomiting Diarrhoea They advise that if you develop one or more of these symptoms you should take a Covid test as soon as possible. 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. The individual tested positive after travel to the UK and is linked to travel to Southern Africa. This is early-stage analysis and we continue to monitor the data hour by hour. 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. UKHSAreleases weekly updates on the number of confirmed new cases of variants of concern and variants under investigation identified in the UK. 2023 BBC. So far, there is insufficient evidence to determine whether BA.2 causes more severe illness than Omicron BA.1, but data is limited and UKHSA continues to investigate. 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. Runny nose (especially in combination with loss of smell) A runny nose is a universal sign of cold, flu and now COVID-19. This includes analysing live samples of the new variant in our laboratories to investigate properties such as response to current vaccines. It is testament to the diligence and scientific expertise of my colleagues at UKHSA, and the genomic sequencing capacity developed through the pandemic, that this new variant has been identified and analysed so quickly. A detrimental change in biological properties (changes in transmissibility, severity or immune evasion) compared to the current dominant variant.
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