US,UK: Amid the global spread of the Omicron variant of coronavirus, the scientists in the United Kingdom have said that its symptoms now match those of common cold. They have also urged the UK government to include more number of symptoms in its public health policy on COVID-19.
The most common symptoms reported by UK scientists are running nose, headaches, fatigue, sneezing and sore throats. This is based on the analysis of confirmed cases in London, as listed on the Zoe Covid app.
At least half of those reporting cold-like symptoms tested positive for COVID-19, according to a Guardian report on the analysis of data. But only half of infected users also reported on classic three symptoms – fever, cough or loss of smell or taste – the Guardian report further said.
A committee of scientific advisers had also backed this analysis in a meeting on Thursday, saying that the loss of smell or taste seems to be reported less frequently.
On Thursday, Dr Bruce Patterson, who works for single cell diagnostic company IncellDx, also claimed that he has not seen as much of a loss of taste and smell compared to the previous variants.
He added that fatigue is present in Omicron-affected patients too, like in the cases of other coronavirus variants.
Dr Patterson said that Omicron looked similar to a virus called parainfluenza. Meanwhile, More than 6,000 flights were cancelled worldwide over the long Christmas weekend and thousands more were delayed, a tracking website reported Saturday, as the highly infectious Omicron variant brings holiday hurt to millions.
Compounding the travel chaos in the United States, severe weather in the country’s west is due to wreak havoc on roadways and other routes there although it may well bring a white Christmas weekend to northwest cities Seattle and Portland.
According to Flightaware.com, nearly 2,800 flights were scrubbed around the globe on Saturday, including more than 970 originating from or headed to US airports, with over 8,000 delays.
Meanwhile, Around 1 in 10 Londoners were likely infected with COVID on Sunday, according to new official estimates that underlined the relentless advance of the Omicron variant. Daily modelled estimates produced by the Office for National Statistics showed around 9.5% of Londoners had Covid-19 as of Sunday, within a 95% confidence interval of 8.43% to 10.69%.
The figures came a day after Britain recorded a record number of new coronavirus cases as the Omicron variant swept across the country, with the daily tally reaching 119,789 from 106,122 a day earlier.
Prevalence increased across all parts of the UK in the run-up to Sunday, according to the latest estimates, the data showed, with Scotland showing the lowest rate of infections at 1 in 65 people.
Meanwhile,France has reported 104,611 new cases of Covid-19, the highest daily record since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country, bringing its cumulative caseload to 9,088,371. A total of 16,162 Covid-19 patients are currently hospitalised and 3,282 of them are in intensive care, Xinhua news agency reported, citing French Public Health Agency. With an additional 84 COVID-19 deaths recorded, the national death toll has reached 122,546, the agency added.
-THE INDIAN EXPRESS, THE HINDUSTAN TIMES,IANS