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Omicron: COVID patients reporting 3 new unusual symptoms
WHO, other studies explain why
By Lekhak February 15, 2022
Considering Omicron moves differently from the other COVID variants, one of the worrying factors is that the patients infected with it show varied symptoms distinct from each other. Though many patients complain of mild cold-like symptoms, several others are experiencing more severe signs. The World Health Organization (WHO) and studies conducted by other organizations explain symptoms and their reasons. Read here to know more:
What are the different Omicron symptoms?
WHO’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, has said that people infected with Omicron can have a range of symptoms. They can also have no symptoms at all and be completely asymptomatic. Some even can develop severe diseases, and people are also dying from Omicron.
“On average, we know that there is lesser risk of needing hospitalization if you are infected with Omicron compared to Delta, but that does not mean that it is a mild disease,” he added during a Live Q&A session on COVID-19 and Omicron sub-variant BA.2 with Dr. Abdi Mahamud on 8 February 2022.
During another discussion on the effects of Omicron and why it should not be taken lightly, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove said the more concerning thing with the Omicron-led wave has been that deaths are increasing for 5th week in a row. “Half a people, that we know of, have died (due to Covid,” he said, adding that deaths must be more than that cause the global health bodies don’t have adequate reporting systems around the world.
Most reported symptoms: Most Omicron patients report cold-like symptoms such as a sore throat, severe body pain, fatigue, severe headache, a study by UK-based tracker Zoe COVID app.
The ZOE COVID Study app is a not-for-profit initiative launched at the end of March 2020 to support vital COVID-19 research. The app was launched by health science company ZOE with scientific analysis provided by King’s College London.
“It’s not necessarily true to say the symptoms caused by Omicron are more mild than with previous variants. The majority of the UK population is now double or triple vaccinated, as are most of the contributors to the ZOE app, which has a strongly protective effect against severe illness and hospitalization,” said the company.
New symptoms reported in Omicron patients: Many people also complain of gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea, skipped meals, and abdominal pain.
A most unusual trait of Omicron: Strangely, there are fewer cases where the infected individuals suffer from three classic symptoms of COVID – cough, fever, and loss of smell.
Experts say it has become more challenging to diagnose the disease due to this wide range of symptoms.
Why are people reporting different kinds of symptoms?
It’s not necessarily true to say the symptoms caused by Omicron are milder than with previous variants, the Zoe study showed. But the symptoms vary from person to person, depending on their vaccination status, immunity, and a few other things.
What WHO said:
The WHO official also confirmed a very significant difference in individuals who are vaccinated with one dose, two doses, and some people have had three doses. “There is a significant reduction of hospitalizations and deaths among those who are vaccinated.”
“This is from Omicron, from other Variants of Concern, and I think that’s one of the biggest factors that is critical that people hear out there,” Van Kerkhove said, adding, so when it’s your turn, get vaccinated and boosted.
