New Covid Variant BA.2.86: Symptoms to Precautions, All You Need to Know

The latest Covid variant BA 2.86 is a highly mutated variant that has been identified in a handful of countries. However, WHO has dubbed it as ‘variant under monitoring’ .

New Covid strains are constantly emerging in different countries across the globe. The emergence and spread of these Covid cases sound a panic alarm nearly everywhere. After Eris was driving the cases in UK and USA, another Covid strain BA.2.86 has been detected. So far, the cases have been found in Israel, Denmark, USA and UK. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated, “WHO has designated COVID19 variant BA.2.86 as a ‘variant under monitoring’ today due to the large number of mutations it carries. So far, only a few sequences of the variant have been reported from a handful of countries.”

So far, this new variant is only known to be extensively mutated which has prompted countries to enhance their vigilance and follow the Covid protocols. There is still research underway on the pace of its spread and compatibility with immunity.

According to the CNN report, ” The new variant, called BA.2.86 and nicknamed Pirola by variant hunters on social media, has more than 30 amino acid changes to its spike protein compared with its next closest ancestor, the BA.2 subvariant of Omicron, according to Dr. Jesse Bloom, who studies viral evolution at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle.”

What is a variant under monitoring? When the WHO designates a Covid variant as ‘under monitoring’ it usually exhibits characteristics like heightened disease severity, and immunity evasion and may potentially be upgraded to WHO’s list of variants of interest or concern.

SYMPTOMS:

Based on the limited evidence on this highly mutated variant the symptoms of COvid are more or less similar:

• High Fever
• Cough
• Severe Headache
• Abdominal Discomfort
• Body ache
• Fatiguw and constant Weakness
• Decreased Appetite

Covid 19 Precautions:

• Avoid crowded areas
• Wear masks when going out in public
• Maintain proper hand hygiene
• Consume a balanced diet to boost immunity
• Keep the surroundings s clean

The two-year-long Covid-19 pandemic has induced fear, a sense of anxiety that the emergence of a new variant in any part of the world gets all health agencies and people on their toes again. “It is unusual for the corona to change so significantly and develop 30 new mutations. The last time we saw such a big change was when Omicron appeared,” said Morten Rasmussen, a senior researcher at the Statens Serum Institut, in a news statement on the variant.

Therefore, instead of panicking and let the anxieties surge, it is better to adhere o Covid protocols and raise guard.