Social media users are sharing a post that makes various claims about the symptoms, severity, and testing of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
Link to one such example:
https://www.facebook.com/MrVegasMusic/posts/460816512069199
The post begins with: "Make sure you wear a mask, because the new COVID-Omicron variant coronavirus is different, deadly, and not easy to accurately detect."
The Omicron variant has been found through testing in about 22 states in the US so far, after being identified in South Africa and Hong Kong in late November. (here)
SYMPTOMS
The post claims that symptoms of the Omicron variant do not include cough or fever, but only joint pain, headache, neck pain, upper back pain, pneumonia, and loss of appetite.
However, in the content of these posts, there is no evidence that these are symptoms of Omicron and that it does not cause cough or fever.
David O'Connor, professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the US, told Reuters by email that there had not been enough time or cases to know whether the Omicron variant results in different symptoms.
“What has been widely re-circulated are some expert views based on a single analysis of a very small number of cases.” “Doctors and scientists need more time to know if or how the severity of Omicron is different.”
The WHO, on the other hand, told Reuters by email that it is not yet clear whether the Omicron variant is more transmissible or causes more severe disease compared to other variants.
“Preliminary data suggests that there are increasing levels of hospitalisations in South Africa, but this may be due to an increase in the overall number of people becoming infected, rather than being the result of a specific infection with Omicron.” “There is currently no information to suggest that the symptoms associated with Omicron are different from those from other variants.”
(Full article by Reuters in English)