Dr Meera Chand, COVID-19 Incident Director at UKHSA, said: It is the nature of viruses to evolve and mutate, so its to be expected that we will continue to see new variants emerge as the pandemic goes on. The individual tested positive after travel to the UK and is linked to travel to Southern Africa. The highly transmissible Omicron variant now accounts for half of the world's infections. It contains epidemiological data and updated analysis of COVID-19 variants currently circulating in the UK. This paper can be found as a pre-print, and the data is referred to in the latest vaccine surveillance report. It includes a complete list of studies planned and already under way into the emerging variant. 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 . As with previous variants, experts believe vaccines will continue to be highly effective against severe illness, hospitalisation, and death. Our data shows that getting the booster vaccine is more effective against this variant than 2 doses alone. The omicron variant of the coronavirus was first detected in late 2021. 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. 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. No cases have been identified in the UK. There is now high confidence that the Omicron variant causes low severity of disease in adults. Initial data suggests that LFDs are as likely to detect Omicron as other variants including Delta, which has been the dominant variant in the UK from May to December 2021. Studies have already shown that this virus travels to different parts of the body, therefore gut-related issues are. The analysis looked at 581 people with confirmed Omicron. UKHSA, in partnership with scientific bodies across the globe, is constantly monitoring the status of SARS-CoV-2 variants as they emerge and develop worldwide. UKHSA encourage everyone to continue to follow the most up-to date guidance. We have started to see cases where there are no links to travel, suggesting that we have a small amount of community transmission. A further 3 cases have been identified in Scotland, bringing the total to 13. People suffering From the Omicron BA2 variant said they had fever and body Aches. Consider wearing a face covering when in crowded places. 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. 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. Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against this new variant please get your first, second, third or booster jab without delay. Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against this new variant please get your first, second or booster jab without delay. Studies of contacts show that Omicron is transmitting more effectively than Delta. 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. This is not an unusual occurrence and several recombinant SARS-CoV-2 variants have been identified over the course of the pandemic. Where variant information was available, the majority of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions from 24 November 2021 to 19 January 2022 had Delta infections. The team at ZOE, a study that tracks symptoms . 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. As of 20 December,132individuals with confirmed Omicron have been admitted to or transferred from emergency departments. However, with the spread of BA.4 and BA.5, that symptom seems to have returned, some doctors note. We continue to monitor all recombinants closely, routinely through our world-leading genomic surveillance and sequencing capability. BA.2 Symptoms Not That Different From Omicron, Delta. It is important that everyone ensures that they are up to date with vaccinations offered as they remain our best form of defence against severe illness. 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. They also say that Omicron symptoms are typically mild, and herd immunity is at . As of 30 November 2021, there are 22 confirmed cases of Omicron (B.1.1.529), identified through sequencing or genotyping in England. Inthe SIREN study, a large cohort of healthcare workers are tested regularly by PCR to detect asymptomatic infection in addition to normal testing practices for symptomatic infection. To help us improve GOV.UK, wed like to know more about your visit today. We use some essential cookies to make this website work. The proportion of test results displaying SGTF has been very low in recent months but an increase has been observed in the past week. ; BA.5 sometimes gives rise to more marked symptomssometimes with digestive symptoms . UKHSA is carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive cases were likely to be infectious. As with other kinds of variant, most will die off relatively quickly. 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. 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. The BA.2 subvariant of Omicron, or the "stealth" variant, has been outcompeting the previously dominant BA.1 subvariant in several countries. According to the COVID Symptom Study, the five most common symptoms are the same: Runny nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing and sore throat. There is no data to suggest that BA.2 leads to more severe disease than previous Omicron sub-variants. 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. 2 or Stealth Omicron causes. Since BA.2 is a sub-strain of the Omicron variant, it is expected that its symptoms will be similar. However, it should serve as objective evidence that this pandemic is not over. 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. We now know that BA.2 has an increased growth rate which can be seen in all regions in England. This analysis is not an assessment of hospital severity, which will take further time to assess. 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. "It's important to know and recognize all of the. A number of Omicron variants are currently circulating in England, many of which have acquired mutations which may produce a degree of immune escape. 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. As viruses mutate often and at random, it is not unusual for small numbers of cases to arise featuring new sets of mutations. 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. This is to be expected and UKHSA is monitoring the situation closely. However, some experts believe that BA.2 doesn't present symptoms different from the original Omicron. People infected with Omicron are also less likely to experience fever or loss of taste and smell. 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. 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. It is also absolutely critical that we all do what we can to reduce transmission in the community so that we have time to administer as many booster doses as possible. A runny nose, gastrointestinal issues, headache and a skin rash are other common signs and symptoms. Getty Images BA.2 was. Wed like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. More recent data on Omicron cases is published regularly here. Studies in the UK reveal (where stealth Omicron is already spreading at a high rate) that people infected with the sub-variant show gut-related . 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. . Typical meningitis symptoms include neck stiffness or pain, numbness, tingling, and sensitivity to light. In the last week, VUI-21OCT-01 accounted for approximately 6% of all Delta cases. A runny nose, gastrointestinal. UKHSA will continue to designate new variants, and these will receive a variant number (in the format V-date-number). 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. The individuals who have tested positive and their contacts have been asked to self-isolate. What are the symptoms of BA.2? The five key Omicron symptoms. I urge you to come forward as soon as youre eligible to help keep yourself and your loved ones safe. 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. People aged 75 and over remain at particular risk of severe disease if they are not up to date with their vaccinations. This suggests that BA.5 is likely to become the dominant COVID-19 variant in the UK. The new strain has several key mutations, with the most important of those occurring in the spike protein that studs the outside of the virus. Among those who had received 2 doses of Pfizer or Moderna, effectiveness dropped from around 65 to 70% down to around 10% by 20 weeks after the seconddose. We are continuing to monitor the data closely. 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. We will continue to monitor this situation closely and recommend appropriate public health measures if needed. There is evidence that protection against symptomatic disease wanes after the second dose of vaccine, and then improves after the booster. BA.2 is found to be able to alarmingly reinfect patients originally infected by Omicron BA.1. You have accepted additional cookies. Where individualsare suspected or confirmed to have theOmicron variantas the result of testing, their close contacts will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace, required to self-isolate and asked to take aPCRtest,regardless of whether they have been vaccinated. In some countries, BA.2 accounts for more than half of sequenced Omicron cases, it adds. None of the cases to date is known to have been hospitalised or died. Following the change in JCVI advice today, 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. A detrimental change in biological properties (changes in transmissibility, severity or immune evasion) compared to the current dominant variant. This analysis excludes individuals with confirmed previous COVID-19 infection. Recent studies suggest that BA.2 has a. Currently, no experimental data has been reported about BA.2 and BA.3. Things you can choose to do are: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has elevated the classification of the COVID-19 variants Omicron BA.4 and Omicron BA.5 to variants of concern (VOCs) on the basis of observed growth. 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. It is projected that if current trends continue unchanged, the UK will exceed one million infections a day by the end of this month. 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. As is routine for any new variants under investigation,UKHSAis carrying out laboratory and epidemiological investigations to better understand the characteristics of this variant. The designation was made on the basis that this sub-lineage has become increasingly common in the UK in recent months, and there is some early evidence that it may have an increased growth rate in the UK compared to Delta. UKHSA has also this week published further vaccine effectiveness data against hospitalisation following a booster dose. 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. This is more promising data which reinforces just how important vaccines are. We have now identified cases in the East Midlands, East of England, London, South East and North West. It was designated a variant of concern (VOC) on Saturday 27 November. Please take up this offer as soon as you are invited to protect yourself, your families and your communities. An important question is whether BA.2 or BA.3 will become a new dominating "variant of concern". Everyone should complete a primary course as soon as possible for most this will be a first and second dose. UKHSAis carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive cases were likely to be infectious. Data on this wont be available for several weeks. The risk assessment also suggests that Omicron displays a reduction in protection offered by having had a previous infection or vaccination. The original Delta variant remains overwhelmingly dominant in the UK, making up approximately 99.8% of all cases. 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. At this point it is not possible to determine where the sublineage may have originated. Lower back pain. UKHSA are continuing to monitor data on the BA.2 sub-lineage closely. When the reduced risk of hospitalisation was combined with vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease, the vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation was estimated as 52% after one dose, 72% 2 to 24 weeks after dose 2, 52% 25+ weeks after dose 2 and 88% 2 weeks after a booster dose. Check benefits and financial support you can get, Find out about the Energy Bills Support Scheme, National flu and COVID-19 surveillance report, higher risk of becoming seriously ill from respiratory infections, including COVID-19, this data should be interpreted with caution, This assessment is based on analysis of UK data, data on Omicron cases is published regularly here, Six cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant known as B.1.1.529, Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern: variant risk assessments, Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 variants: technical briefings, Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for local government, let fresh air in if meeting others indoors, wear a face covering or a face mask, particularly if you are in crowded and enclosed spaces. 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. New sub-lineages within Delta continue to be identified. Even if a smaller proportion of these individuals require hospitalisation, these are still large numbers of people requiring hospital care and pressures on the NHS will increase. We continue to urge everyone who is eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine and booster. At the moment there is much that is not yet clear. 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. 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. It is never too late to come forward for your first dose and its vital that everyone comes forward to get boosted now as we head into the new year. A NEW Covid-19 Omicron sub-variant is spreading across Ireland and is the most infectious strain yet. There is further data showing that effectiveness against symptomatic disease is significantly lower compared to the Delta variant, and wanes more quickly. Our continued genomic surveillance allows us to detect them and assess whether they are significant. Congestion. There is currently no evidence of community transmission within the UK. moderate COVID-19 symptoms who are at high risk of . Everybody who is contacted or has symptoms should take a PCR test as soon as possible, even if they have received a positive COVID-19 PCR test within the last 90 days. It is critical that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately. According to the CDC, the Omicron variant spreads more easily than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus and the Delta variant. The UK has been hard-hit by a further spike in Covid-19 cases in recent weeks, with infections being driven by a sub-lineage of the Omicron variant known as BA.2 or "Stealth Omicron". According to the ZOE study - conducted across Omicron and Delta waves for comparison - there are five key symptoms of the Omicron variant. So far there is not enough evidence to draw conclusions about transmissibility, severity or vaccine effectiveness. The World Health Organization has been monitoring SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes Covid-19) since January 2020, during which time the variant Omicron has been identified, which is technically known as BA.1 or B.1.1.529.The WHO is now monitoring a sub-variant of Omicron, known as BA.2, which has been described as "stealth Omicron," because it has genetic mutations that potentially make it . Prior infection is 44% effective at preventing future infection, increasing to 71% with 3 doses of the vaccine. 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. BA.2 continues to demonstrate a substantial growth advantage. Following the first 2 confirmed cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant known as B.1.1.529 on 27 November, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has identified one further case of COVID-19 with mutations consistent with B.1.1.529 in the UK. As I previously reported, omicron subvariants have a shorter incubation period, which is why the symptoms may appear earlier. The total number of confirmed cases in England is now 22. BA.2 variant symptoms: Spokane Regional Health District Health Officer Francisco Velazquez told KREM 2 News that the BA.2 variant of the omicron variant has some unique symptoms, too. The data so far suggests an increase in overall reinfection rates, alongside an increase in first infections. In the UK, 38 cases of XF have been identified, though none have been seen since mid February. We have also learnt that BA.2 has a slightly higher secondary attack rate than BA.1 in households. Further information is also available in the latest variant technical briefing. Added breakdown of cases by local authority to latest update. All 3 subvariants have spike protein mutations of L452 and elude immunity from prior BA1 infection. "We must remain vigilant and take up vaccinations. 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. It is not clear where BA.2 originated, but it was first detected in the Philippines in November. We should all continue to test regularly with LFDs and take a PCR test if symptoms develop. Please also make sure to follow all Government guidance to reduce the spread of infection. Omicron sublineages BQ.1 and XBB have been given UKHSA variant designations to facilitate continued studies. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published a new variant technical briefing containing an updated Omicron risk assessment, alongside analysis on vaccine efficacy, sub-lineages and symptoms. 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. Its 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. Hospital cases are also rising, but vaccines are still helping to stop many severe. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 . Please come forward to receive your booster as soon as possible. As of 18 July 2022, there were 24 cases of BA.2.75 in the UK. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has released a new variant technical briefing detailing updated analysis of epidemiological and genomic data relating to SARS-CoV-2 variants currently circulating in the UK, including the XBB.1.5 variant which has been increasing in the US in recent months. Updated analysisshows theadditional incremental benefit from each vaccine exposureincluding for boosters, even in those who have had prior infection. 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. Please take up this offer as soon as you are eligible to protect yourself, your families and your communities. Thats why its so important that everybody, everywhere, takes simple steps to protect themselves from infection. The sub-variant of Omicron has been detected in 57 countries now, the WHO says. 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. But the preliminary assessment found no evidence that vaccines would be any less effective against symptomatic disease for either sub-variant. 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. Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, said: Todays new data shows how important booster jabs are to protect us against this variant. Experts say BA.2 has extensive mutations and is about 40 percent more infectious than the original Omicron variant. Vaccination is critical to help us bolster our defences against this new variant so please get your first, second, third or booster jab as soon as you are eligible to protect yourself, your families and your communities. 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.