![]() ![]() ![]() For that reason, experts continued to express concerns that a large volume of cases in a particular area could overwhelm medical centers, making it difficult to treat severe cases. Some people infected with Omicron and its subvariants have still developed severe disease and had to go to the hospital, and some died. But people 65 or older or who have a weak immune system are at higher risk of the virus traveling to the lower respiratory tract, causing severe illness. Experts say that the summer uptick in cases and hospitalizations in 2023 is much lower than COVID-19 spikes in previous years. So far, Omicron strains have tended to be mostly mild, causing a runny nose, sore throat, and other cold-like symptoms, as opposed to lower respiratory tract symptoms. The second question has been whether Omicron and its subvariants are more likely than their predecessors to cause severe disease. Omicron caused an alarming spike in COVID-19 cases in South Africa-they went from 300 a day in mid-November 2021 to 3,000 a day at the end of that month. As new variants have emerged, the first question has been how transmissible each one is compared to its predecessor.Īccording to the CDC, the Omicron variant spreads more easily than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus and Delta, an early variant. Are Omicron and its strains more transmissible-or deadlier-than previous variants?įrom the beginning, two important questions about Omicron were top of mind for scientists, says Dr. XBB.1.16 (or "Arcturus") was the prevalent strain before it was surpassed by EG.5. But, as of early September 2023, CDC estimates showed a long list of circulating Omicron subvariants, including more than a dozen XBB strains. Both the WHO and the CDC classified it as a "variant of concern."Įxcept in rare cases, the original version of Omicron is no longer circulating-neither is the original strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the early, more severe Alpha and Delta variants. As people around the world welcomed a new year (2022), the variant continued to surge more quickly than any previous strain in many areas. Omicron was the predominant strain in the U.S. ![]() On December 1 of that year, the CDC confirmed the first case in the U.S., in an individual in California who had returned from South Africa in November. Omicron was initially identified in Botswana and South Africa in November 2021-although later reports showed earlier cases in the Netherlands. Omicron: A ‘variant of concern’ with potentially different symptomsįirst, some background. Thomas Murray, MD, PhD, a Yale Medicine pediatric infectious diseases specialist, and Nathan Grubaugh, PhD, an epidemiologist at the Yale School of Public Health, commented on what we know so far. ![]() Tracking Omicron and its variants can easily become confusing-even overwhelming, but Yale Medicine follows these variants, and the CDC provides weekly updates to track them. Spike proteins are how the coronavirus enters human cells, and while unconfirmed, more of them may mean there is a greater chance the strain will be more transmissible and more likely to cause severe disease. Scientists are eager to learn about the more than 30 mutations seen in Pirola’s spike protein (compared to one mutation for EG.5). In August, the spotlight turned toward yet another Omicron strain, BA.2.86, unofficially nicknamed “Pirola.” Little is known about Pirola, and so far, there are relatively few reported cases, but it has been identified in several countries, including the U.S., suggesting it may be spreading more widely than people realize. While some experts believe EG.5 has been a possible factor in a summer uptick in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, scientists are still learning about its potential transmissibility and severity. EG.5, or, informally, “Eris,” rapidly became the dominant SARS-CoV-2 strain in the country. The newest Omicron strain arrived in the United States this past summer. Now, multiple Omicron subvariants are driving most of the COVID-19 cases in the United States. The variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 first surfaced in the United States toward the end of 2021 and spread like wildfire, spawning new sub-strains-some more transmissible than others. In the battle against COVID-19, Omicron has been a difficult opponent. Because information about COVID-19 changes rapidly, we encourage you to visit the websites of the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), and your state and local government for the latest information. Note: Information in this article was accurate at the time of original publication. ![]()
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