Ômicron: what are the symptoms of the new variant compared to the previous ones

Scientists around the world have been studying in detail the omicron, the new variant of the coronavirus that has been spreading at a rapid pace in several countries.

In South Africa, where it was first detected, it now accounts for over 90% of new infections. In London, UK, half of the newly reported cases are already caused by omicron.

Some findings have already been made, including that omicron is significantly more contagious, but much remains to be discovered about this new variant.

What about symptoms?

In an interview with the BBC, Canadian immunologist and geneticist John Bell, Professor of Medicine at the University of Oxford, UK, and adviser to the British government for Covid-19, said that the symptoms of omicron are “different” from previous strains of coronavirus .

Sore throat, sore muscles, especially in the lower back, stuffy nose, stomach problems, and loose stools are possible signs of the new variant.

“One of the things we know is that omicron is quite different,” he said, adding that myalgia (muscle pain) is a “distinguishing feature” of omicron and that public health experts didn’t know why.

According to Bell, data from South Africa and the Zoe app (which helps to bring together research on the spread and symptoms of Covid-19 in the UK) showed that other unusual symptoms of omicron include “some intestinal discomfort, stools soft”.

“It’s one of the most interesting features. [a ômicron] is behaving differently,” he told BBC 4’s Today program.

Doctors in South Africa have also noted sore throat rather than sore throat, dry cough, extreme tiredness and night sweats.

Loss of taste or smell, reported in numerous patients who contracted earlier variants of the coronavirus, do not appear to be among the symptoms of this variant first reported in South Africa.

Transmission and reinfection

In the interview, Bell added that while some things are known about the omicron, others have not yet been determined by the data.

One thing scientists know, he said, is its transmissibility.

“We know a few things about this variant and there are a lot of things we don’t,” he said.

“We know this is a highly infectious variant, two or three times more infectious than delta, which was a very infectious variant in itself.”

“One of the reasons it’s spreading across the country [Reino Unido] so quickly is because it is very, very contagious,” he added.

A preliminary South African study, published on the Medrxiv website, looked at nearly 3 million people infected with Covid-19. And found that the risk of reinfection with the omicron variant is three times greater than for the delta and beta variants of the coronavirus.

The authors concluded: “The evidence suggests that the omicron variant is associated with a substantial ability to evade immunity from a previous infection.”

Gravity

However, when it comes to the severity of the disease, Bell said “at the moment we don’t really have the data” and added that the coming weeks will indicate the severity of the variant in the UK.

A survey of nearly 78,000 cases of omicron in South Africa, published last Tuesday (14), found that the variant is resulting in milder disease compared to previous waves, with 29% fewer hospitalizations than Omicron. Wuhan strain and 23% compared to delta.

Richard Friedland, president of Netcare, South Africa’s largest private healthcare provider, told British newspaper The Telegraph that early trends during the country’s fourth wave, caused by omicron, indicated a “much less severe form” of Covid-19 .

During the first three waves, 100% of the 55,000 Covid-19 patients hospitalized at the Netcare facility required oxygen. So far, during the new wave, only 10% of the 337 hospitalized patients have needed oxygen, Friedland said.

He noted, however, that these results were only preliminary and that the situation could change.

For their part, British authorities recommended “really serious caution” over reports that a reduction in hospitalizations was being seen in omicron cases in South Africa.

This sentiment was echoed by Maria Van Kerkhove, technical leader of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) coronavirus response during a December 8 news conference, when she warned that reports of mild disease are only smaller-scale observational findings and lack the necessary evidence. necessary scientific basis and added that it is “too early” to draw firm conclusions.

On December 12, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned of a “tidal wave” of omicron and said: “Don’t make the mistake of thinking that omicron can’t hurt you, it can’t leave you and your loved ones seriously ill.”

The next day, the prime minister announced the first fatal victim of the new variant in the country and reinforced the need for vaccination, which was also defended by immunologist John Bell.

“The best we can do is vaccinate people who haven’t been vaccinated,” Bell told the BBC.

“That’s what really hurts the system.”

The UK has been trying to speed up vaccination in the country and hopes to vaccinate the entire adult population with a booster dose by the end of the year.