Omicron Covid variant symptoms? Here’s what we know so far
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A member of the medical staff works in the halls of the Intensive Care Unit. Covid-19 Patients are being admitted at Etterbeek-Ixelles Hospital, Brussels, on April 6th 2021.
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South African doctors who were the first to raise concern about this new variant of the omicron strain have described the covid symptoms associated with it as “extremely mild.”
The chairperson of South African Medical Association Angelique Coetzee stated that she began seeing patients in November 2018. They presented with “unusual” symptoms, slightly different to the ones associated with the virus’ delta variant.
It all started with a 33-year-old male patient. He told me that he was just starting to have problems. [been]”He’s extremely tired and has had body aches and pains for the last couple of days,” she said to BBC.
The patient didn’t have a sore throat, she said, but more of a “scratchy throat” but no cough or loss of taste or smell — symptoms that have been associated with previous strains of the coronavirus.
Coetzee stated that she had tested the male patient to confirm Covid. His family was also positive. She then claimed that she saw many more patients the next day with similar symptoms, which differed from those in the Delta variant.
It was this that she decided to alert South Africa’s vaccine advisory panel, which is also a part of her concern.
She said that other patients with the Omicron variant have also reported similar symptoms.
“What we are seeing clinically in South Africa — and remember I’m at the epicenter of this where I’m practicing — is extremely mild, for us [these are]The mildest cases. Although we haven’t admitted any, other colleagues and I share the same view.
Investigations are ongoing
WHO stated that it would take weeks to discover how the variant could affect diagnostics, therapies and vaccines.
Coetzee’s first observations were based only on very few cases. Experts worry about the large number of mutations that omicron can cause. According to WHO, preliminary evidence indicates that the strain is more susceptible to reinfection.
Continue reading: WHO labels new Covid strain, named omicron, a ‘variant of concern,’ citing possible increased reinfection risk
Early evidence suggests that this variant spreads faster in South Africa than other variants. This variant (formally known as B.1.1.529) could also be triggering a new wave infection. according to analysis by the Financial Times.
Understanding the exact symptoms of this new omicron variant could be difficult.
Experts who track the disease have found that the symptoms of covid have evolved since late 2019 when the virus was first discovered in China. Different symptoms were observed for the two “alpha”, and “delta,” variants. These variations were discovered first in India and Britain. with the latter causing more headaches, a runny nose and fever.
The U.S. CDC has highlighted the variety of Covid symptoms that have been reportedIt is important to note that mild-to-severe symptoms can occur in as little as two to fourteen days following exposure.
The CDC has a list of symptoms that includes fever, chills, fatigue, breathing difficulties, chest pain, colds and headaches.
Not necessary panic
A wide range of countries has now banned travel from many southern African countries that have the variant. The move was criticized as an “kneejerk, draconian”, reaction by South Africa’s Health Minister on Friday.
Andrew Marr, BBC, asked Coetzee if countries such as the U.S.A, U.K, Israel, and EU were “panicking unnecessaryly”. Coetzee responded that the omicron version had likely already spread to these countries.
“I feel like you know it already in your country so at this point, I’d say definitely. “Maybe we will be able to say something new two weeks from now,” she said.
CNBC spokeswoman Margaret Harris of WHO said Monday that South Africa was to blame for raising alarm about this new variant. been found in the U.K., France, Israel, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Australia, Canada and Hong Kong, but not yetIn the U.S.
Harris from the WHO said that while travel restrictions are not something the WHO would like, they understand that countries need to be aware of their epidemiological situation and the risk-based analysis available for the data.
On Monday, the U.N. Health Agency stated that most current infections are still caused by the delta variant. This was its greatest concern.
CNBC’s Soumya Swminathan, WHO chief scientist and spokesperson for the Delta variant said “Over 99%” that cases are caused by the virus.Squawk Box AsiaOn Monday.
“It’s my priority, while we wait to learn more.” [the omicron] variant.”
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