DNA Explainer: Omicron variant has no flu-like symptoms, so how to detect it?

With the Omicron variant spread to 77 countries across the globe, experts are observing how the new strain of the COVID-19 virus is behaving. Doctors associated with treating Omicron infected patients say the new variant gives a totally different clinical picture that has no flu-like symptoms.

According to Dr Angelique Coetzee, one of the physicians who first flagged the highly mutated strain in South Africa says the Omicron infected patients experienced severe headache, body pain, tiredness and mild fever. This is unlike the common flu-like symptoms of COVID-19.

Dr Angelique Coetzee is a doctor from South Africa who has treated over 100 COVID-19 positive patients. South Africa was the first country to report about the new Omicron variant. "Omicron will give a totally different clinical picture that has no flu-like symptoms," Dr Coetzee told an Indian media.

Currently, the Omicron variant is said to be highly transmissible and has become the top concern of health officials around the world. WHO suggests that the most recent variant of SARS-CoV-2 may easily spread from one person to another.

Severe body pain

The heavily mutated Omicron may be infectious, but the symptoms remain mild. One of the common signs of the variant is body ache.

Night sweats could be telling symptoms of the new Omicron variant that may arise at night and could come with 'a lot of body pain'.

Pain in the body is a sign of infection and inflammation triggered by your immune system, while it's fighting off the foreign pathogen.

Although infection from previous strains of COVID-19 could cause body pain, it was not as common as a fever or a persistent cough.

No loss of smell

The most telling sign of COVID-19 so far is loss or change in smell or taste. These two sensory changes confirmed the infection.

According to doctors in South Africa, this particular symptom has been less common in people infected with the Omicron.

There have been no cases of a stuffy or clogged nose in those patients affected by the new strain of COVID-19.

Other symptoms

Mild fever, 'lots of body pain', fatigue, 'scratchy' throat and night sweats are some of the common symptoms of Omicron.

COVID-19 in general attacks the respiratory system, both upper and lower and severe infection may cause persistent dry cough.

Along with other symptoms, shortness of breath, chest pain and low blood oxygen levels may need immediate attention.

How worried should we be of Omicron?

As the Omicron variant spreads to 77 countries around the world, what worries scientists is how quickly the new variant can spread.

The first Omicron case was detected on November 9 in South Africa which has now increased to about 3,000 due to this variant.

The main worrisome factor is that this variant has multiple mutations, as per WHO, leading to the risk of reinfection with the virus.

South African scientists have said it contains more than 30 mutations to the spike protein, the component of the virus that binds to cells.

The numerous mutations to the spike protein in Omicron are significantly more than that found in the Delta variant of COVID-19.

Scientists are concerned that the spike protein mutations could make this new Omicron variant more transmissible than others.

It is also possible that the new variant may reduce the effectiveness of the available diagnostics, drugs and COVID-19 vaccines.

Some of the mutations which are concerning may be associated with immune escape potential and higher transmissibility.