Still, NBC News reported symptoms associated with BA.2 seem to largely mirror a small number of symptoms commonly reported in omicron infections. Infectious disease experts break it down. Download AMA Connect app for Despite it's foreboding name, experts are adamant that "stealth" Omicron infections can still be identified on both clinical PCR COVID-19 tests as well as home-based rapid result tests. This is a subscriber only feature Subscribe Now to get daily updates on WhatsApp, Copyright © HT Digital Streams Limited, Copyright 2023 HT Digital Streams Ltd All Right Reserved, Explore the world of meditation and mindfulness, Biological fathers name can be removed from passport, orders Delhi high court, Adani Green Energy Q4 Result: Consolidated PAT grows to 507 cr, King Charles' coronation: Over 2,200 guests to attend the function, 'Bajrang Punia arranged a girl': WFI chief on POCSO allegations, Met Gala 2023: Date, where to watch, start time in India, other details, IMF chief says rising rates exposed banking vulnerabilities, Canada immigrations likely to smoothen as workers end strike, SEBI imposes 10 lakh penalty on Angel Broking for violating regulatory norms. 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. Dr. Adalja agrees. The content provided here and elsewhere on the Solv Health site or mobile app is provided for general informational purposes only. The Arcturus variant is spreading faster than previous ones and may evade our immunity even if you have been sick with the XBB 1.15. Oops! This makes tracking its spread more time-consuming. According to the CDC data, XBB.1.16 is now 9% of the total COVID cases in the United States and is found in over 20 states. But for some people, they will get infected with this new subvariant. All you need to know, When to get checked: A guide to mens preventive health (including timelines and screenings), Getting back to health: your checklist for 2022, Protecting Your Kids with the COVID-19 Vaccine, Parent Tips for a no burn-out, no bummer summer with kids. "However, when you look at the cases, they do not appear to be any more severe and they do not appear to evade immune responses either from vaccines or prior infections.". Informally, some researchers are calling the new variant "stealth Omicron" because it lacks the deletion that allows PCR tests to spot it. "BA.2 has a number of mutations that BA.1 does not have that are in the region of genomes that concerns us," Jeremy Luban, MD, a professor of molecular medicine, biochemistry, and molecular pharmacology at University of Massachusetts Medical School, told Verywell Health. } ); 6 Symptoms of Stealth Omicron You Should Never Ignore - Dailynationtoday xhr.open('POST', 'https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', true); Sore throat. Currently, health experts have confirmed that Omicron infections specifically have led to a new common trend of upper respiratory symptoms issues like sore throats and nausea over symptoms like shortness of breath or a loss of taste and smell. The NHS explained: "These may come and go throughout the day. Yes, but: The "stealth" variant of the omicron variant could be harder to track, per The Guardian. There's certainly cause for concern, mainly because it's so transmissible, Dr. Crum said. But we do need to be careful because we still have quite a few unvaccinated people in the United States and if were going to take away masks and other preventive strategies, weve got to be cautious, she added. In a lot of ways, it's a bad cold, a lot of respiratory symptoms, stuffy nose, coughing, body aches and fatigue," said Dr.. As we've hit year three of the pandemic, the virus has mutated and changed over time, said Dr. Crum. In the first few days, we had a sequence, the sequence itself was terrifying, but it took time before we could find out if Omicron would be more pathogenic and infectious.". The Stealth Omicron variant has fueled the recent outbreak in China, which according to reports is the biggest one in two years for the east Asian country. 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. Tracking XE Dr. Rohatsch says, If you are up to date with your vaccines, including the bivalent booster released last Fall, you do not need an additional shot right now. Health Effects of Daylight Savings and Falling Back, April Showers and May Flowers: What You Need to Know About Allergy Season. He claims a director asked him to undress. "When we are sick and our body is taking care of the infection, we can get things like fever," Lee said. Stealth Omicron Variant Is Harder To Detect, Could Be More Contagious Based on the CDCs 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. The major variants are named according to the Greek alphabetAlpha, Beta, Delta and now Omicron.. What to Know About Omicron and Its Subvariants (Including BA.5) } The city has seen its case metrics climbing in recent weeks. Dubbed as "stealth", the sub-variant of Omicron is concerning as they are hard to detect. "Last week in Denmark, BA.2 was about 60 percent of the cases. And Omicron's BA.2 subvariant might not be much different. Even though WHO agrees that the knowledge about B.A2 is still developing, but this lineage is more diverse. However, one must note, these are only early stage symptoms. Despite BA.2 being labeled a subvariant of Omicron, there are still significant differences in the genetic makeup of the variants. As Dr. Van Kerkhove, WHO epidemiologist, noted, XBB.1.16 replaced other existing variants in India. This difference also may be why BA.2 escaped attention earlier. Learn more about improving surgical outcomes for senior patients. 'Stealth omicron' covid symptoms that may appear before you test These 7 Symptoms Could Be Signs of the New "Stealth" Omicron Variant, These 4 New COVID Symptoms Could Mean You Have Omicron, Doctors Warn, For more up-to-date information, sign up for our Bestlifeonline.com is part of the Dotdash Meredith Publishing Family. Fever or chills Cough Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Fatigue Muscle or body aches Headache New loss of taste or smell Sore throat Congestion or runny nose Nausea or vomiting Diarrhea. We have prophylactic monoclonal antibodies that have been developed and could be considered in those patients who we really think do not have good immunity against the virus, she added. What are the symptoms? The BA.2 subvariant has been referred to as stealth Omicron because it contains genetic mutations that can make it harder to distinguish from the Delta variant using PCR tests compared to the original Omicron variant. } else { Copyright 1995 - 2023 American Medical Association. So, COVID tests can detect Arcturus, and existing COVID treatments work. The BA.2 variant is now under investigation because it could have a growth advantage, replacing the original omicron variant, per Reuters. A sore throat is just one of many symptoms you might experience with Omicron. Dr. Crum noted that most experts say its 30% to 60% more transmissible, so its a riskespecially if it gets into a nonimmune populationto be able to skyrocket in terms of the number of cases. According to The Daily Express, there are seven symptoms U.K. researchers have already associated with the new stealth Omicron variant: fever, extreme fatigue, coughing, sore throat, sore. The. One of the common symptoms of Stealth Omicron - much like the original variant - is vertigo or dizziness. The AMA Update covers a range of health care topics affecting the lives of physicians and patients. How to protect yourself. As per researchers, the Stealth variant has about 20 mutations that differ from the original Omicron. xhr.setRequestHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain;charset=UTF-8'); Zee Krstic is a health editor for Good Housekeeping, where he covers health and nutrition news, decodes diet and fitness trends and reviews the best products in the wellness aisle. The NHS explained: "These may come and go throughout the day. Data is extremely limited thus far on how this variant works to infect both fully vaccinated and unvaccinated people, but CNN reports that leading virologists have indicated that early data suggests "stealth" Omicron isn't more infectious or deadlier than its earlier counterpart; just possibly more confusing for scientists to classify in a laboratory setting. 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. 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. These symptoms are likely to appear within two to three days after being infected with the virus. 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. Always talk to your doctor for professional medical advice. New Covid Sub-Variant: Stealth Omicron BA.2 Symptoms, Countries, Cases The variant is producing some unique signs among those infected. Scientists find 'stealth' version of Omicron that may be harder to Public health experts closely monitor omicron stealth variant in US Mild fever, sore throat, malaise and body ache,. In just roughly two months, this variant has taken over an estimated 99.9 percent of new cases in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In fact, a recent CDC report that examined hospital ER and urgent care center data found that vaccine effectiveness against ER visits and hospitalizations was higher after the third dose (i.e. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) spokesperson Kristen Nordlung told The Washington Post last week that currently, there are insufficient data to determine whether the BA.2 lineage is more transmissible or has a fitness advantage over the BA.1 lineage.. For more up-to-date information, sign up for our By using Solv, you accept ouruse of cookies. While we aim to keep all of our stories up to date, please visit online resources provided by the CDC, WHO, and your local public health department to stay informed on the latest news. Dr. Katherine Poehling, an infectious disease specialist and member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices,told NBC Newsin January that a cough, congestion, runny nose and fatigue appear to be prominent symptoms with the omicron variant. "It's like when Omicron first hit. Were two years into the .css-16acfp5{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.125rem;text-decoration-color:#d2232e;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-16acfp5:hover{color:#000;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;background-color:yellow;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}Covid-19 pandemic and if youre exhausted just trying to keep up with the latest variants, we dont blame you. According to several health experts, BA.2 appears to be more transmissible than omicron. 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. FWIW, its a controversial nickname that not everyone is into. What doctors wish patients knew about the BA.2 Omicron subvariant 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. 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.. Korea expected to ease social distancing rules soon They also have BA.1 but it looks like BA.2 is replacing BA.1," Luban told the news outlet. Your session has expired, please login again. "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. What is the "stealth" omicron Covid subvariant? BA.2, explained - Vox Our content is fact checked by our senior editorial staff to reflect accuracy and ensure our readers get (January 05, 2023), WHO press conference on COVID-19 and other global health issues (March 29, 2023), Early Estimates of Bivalent mRNA Booster Dose Vaccine Effectiveness in Preventing Symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infection Attributable to Omicron BA.5 and XBB/XBB.1.5Related Sublineages Among Immunocompetent Adults Increasing Community Access to Testing Program, United States, December 2022January 2023 (January 25, 2023), Conjunctivitis a Symptom of COVID Variant Arcturus in India: What We Know (April 19, 2023), CDC Symptoms of COVID-19 (October 26, 2022), New COVID-19 variant 'Arcturus' is on the rise in US (April 24, 2023), FDA News Release: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Authorizes Changes to Simplify Use of Bivalent mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines (April 18, 2023), CDC: Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination (April 19, 2023). Log in to our website to save your bookmarks. However, as the COVID-19 pandemic rapidly evolves and the scientific communitys understanding of the novel coronavirus develops, some of the information may have changed since it was last updated. "I don't know if we, right now, know the particular features that are distinct for BA.2 versus BA.1. In case you cant find any email from our side, please check the spam folder. Is omicron subvariant BA.2 to blame for rising Covid cases? - CNBC Heres what you need to know about this latest development in the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Emerging research has been showing that Omicron is more likely to affect the upper respiratory tract instead of the lungs, unlike some prior versions of the virus, according to WHO. Scratchy throat Lower back pain Runny nose/congestion Headache Fatigue Sneezing Night sweats Body aches Topics Coronavirus YOU MIGHT LIKE The two most reported symptom of patients infected by the Stealth Omicron variant is -dizziness and fatigue. 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. It is not intended as, and Solv Health, Inc. does not provide, medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Stealth omicron: Know the common symptoms from experts The BA.2 Omicron subvariant is now the dominant version of COVID-19 in the U.S. But experts say Omicron is unlikely to present it this way and have highlighted some symptoms that you should never ignore. Here's How Worried You Should Be About 'Stealth' Omicron - Men's Health Omicron stealth variant: What is it? What is the mysterious BA.2 Talk to a licensed provider if you need to receive treatment for COVID. 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. This site uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. The two most reported symptom of patients infected by the Stealth Omicron variant is -dizziness and fatigue. 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. "I would also predict that there would be significant protection with BA.2 if you had BA.1. But vaccination is better than getting the infection and assuming protection, meaning even if you've had previous coronavirus infections, there's still a clear benefit for vaccination in terms of the immunity that you'll have against future variants, she said. This new iteration of the fast-spreading variant has been gaining a foothold in several counties since Jan. 24, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported. The National Health Commission in China reported 1,337 locally transmitted cases in the latest 24-hour period, including 895 in the industrial province of Jilin. He also serves on several boards and chairs The TJ Lobraico Foundation. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Download the Mint app and read premium stories. Despite BA.2 being labeled a subvariant of Omicron, there are still significant differences in the genetic makeup of the variants. Thats why everyone coming in with any of those symptoms gets both a COVID test and an influenza test at the same time., If theres a question, you should test because its SARS-CoV-2 is a virus that we have treatment for and we know in this particular variant is very contagious, she said, emphasizing that it is important to know that its not just your allergies and you can go to your party tonight. While this particular variant is more widespread in Europe, South Asia, South Africa and India at the moment, she expects that U.S. officials may soon learn that BA.2 is more widespread than originally thought in due time. It's very common to see young, previously healthy people that now can't go back to work or now are having all these issues, she added. What Are Dehydration Headaches? This subvariant has a high number of mutations compared to Omicron. Mild or severe fatigue. Other experts say they don't feel like the emergence of the stealth Omicron variant is any cause for panic. Covid 4th wave: 10 symptoms to watch out for - DNA India 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. Those mutations are shared with the original omicron, but BA.2 also has additional genetic changes not seen in the initial version. There is no need to panic; public health agencies continue to track the variant closely. Here's How Worried You Should Be About 'Stealth' Omicron, The Difference Between a Heart Attack and a Stroke. While public health officials in the U.S. are keeping an eye on stealth Omicron, they arent sounding the alarm just yettheyre largely focused on the main Omicron strain and subsequent Omicron symptoms circulating in the U.S., aka BA.1. Learn more. Runny nose and sneezing haven't been the most common symptoms with previous variants, but "the most reported symptoms of . 6 Things to know about Omicron BA.4 and BA.5. What is Stealth Omicron? Symptoms of the Covid variant responsible for By now, theres a good chance you may have heard about one of the latest new phenomenons known as stealth omicron. And unfortunately, this isnt just a case of another variant that tends to leave you without any symptoms, as its moniker may imply. And as regions all across the country begin to ease the few mask mandates that remain, we can understand why this new development may cause concern. Solv can help you schedule your COVID vaccines or visit a licensed provider near you.