Suara.com – A subvariant of the highly contagious Omicron variant called BA.2 or Omicron Stealth appears to be taking over in certain countries. According to the study, this new subvarie can be 1.5 times more infectious than its predecessor variant.
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that the Omicron variant falls into the category variant of concern (VoC) or the variant to be wary of, this also applies to their lineage. Thus, this subvariant known as Omicron Stealth should continue to be considered as VoC.
Understanding Omicron Stealth
Launching from Medical News Today, Monday (28/2/2022), the Omicron variant is also known as the Omicron Stealth or BA.2 or “stealth” Omicron. This subvariant spread rapidly in several countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, and Denmark.
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It is named Omicron Stealth because this subvariant does not have a specific mutation, which means that PCR tests cannot distinguish it from other common variants. Scientists also had to sequence its genome to identify it.
A survey of SARS-CoV-2 infections in Denmark has found that BA.2 is more infectious than the previously dominant Omicron variant, known as BA.1.
Vaccination provides less protection against BA.2 compared to BA.1, but unvaccinated individuals remain the most susceptible to infection.
Compared with BA.1, individuals with BA.2 infection who had been vaccinated were less likely to transmit the virus.
Is the Stealth Omicron Something to Worry About?
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Mutations in the Omicron genome have allowed the variant to evade some of the immunity offered by vaccination or previous SARS-CoV-2 infection.
The Omicron is also more infectious than previous variants, including the Delta, which allows it to be the most widespread variant worldwide.
So news that a more infectious subvariant of Omicron, called BA.2 , is spreading rapidly in several countries, including the US, UK, and Denmark, has caused concern.
A number of studies suggest this new subvariance can be 1.5 times more infectious than its predecessor variant. However, the symptoms caused by this subvariance were no more severe.
The Omicron consists of three distinct evolutionary lineages, called BA.1, BA.2, and BA.3, which split from a common ancestor.
Symptoms of the Omicron Demon
Like the original Omicron strain, BA.1, scientists are not currently concerned that a “stealth” Omicron infection will exhibit different symptoms from earlier versions of SARS-CoV-2. The symptoms are as follows:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Muscle or body pain
- Headache
- Loss of new sense of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Stuffy nose or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
This is information about Omicron Stealth complete with understanding, symptoms and things to worry about or not. If you experience any of the above symptoms, consult your doctor immediately. Keep following the health protocols and don’t forget the booster vaccination.
Contributors: Ulil Azmi