Covid Ireland: Symptoms may show up in this order as cases of new mutant strain surge
Health officials in Ireland have reported a rise in Covid cases linked to the new KP.3 mutant strain. The public is advised to stay vigilant for symptoms and follow precautions, especially to protect vulnerable people.
Health officials have released an update on Covid in Ireland, which confirms that cases of the new mutant strain KP.3 are on the rise.
KP.3 is part of a recently identified group of variants being dubbed 'FLiRT', which are descendants of the JN.1 lineage of the Omicron variant. It is sometimes referred to as a 'mutant strain' because it has undergone specific genetic mutations that distinguish it from previous versions, which can lead to increased infectivity, higher transmission rates and greater resistance to immune responses from vaccinations or past infections.
Today, Ireland's Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) said that KP.3 lineages accounted for 73.7% of confirmed cases in last five weeks. This marks a substantial increase from the previous five weeks, when the variant accounted for 55.2% of all reported cases.
In a statement, the HPSC said: "JN.1 sublineages that harbour the F456L and R346T mutations in the Spike gene have increased globally since early March 2024 and have been classified as variants under monitoring by WHO and ECDC due to this increase and the known association of these mutations with immune evasion. These variants are not expected to be associated with increased infection severity or to significantly reduce vaccine effectiveness.
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"KP.3 which harbours F456L but not the R346T mutation, accounted for 73.7% of sequences for weeks 28 to 32 2024. This compares to 55.2% for weeks 23 to 27 2024."
To date in Ireland, there have been 3,686 Covid cases confirmed as infected with the JN.1 lineage and sublineages.
The HPSC has asked the public to look out for symptoms and to follow precautions in order to protect vulnerable people. The said: "It is important to remain vigilant for Covid symptoms and take steps to prevent spread in both the community and in healthcare settings, to protect vulnerable people at high risk of severe Covid disease."
The specialist service for the surveillance of communicable diseases advised anyone with symptoms of Covid, even mild ones, to stay at home until 48 hours after they are mostly or fully gone. It also advised anyone with symptoms to avoid contact with other people, particularly those at higher risk from Covid.
It said: "If you have any symptoms of Covid, even mild ones, stay at home until 48 hours after your symptoms are mostly or fully gone. You should also avoid contact with other people, especially people at higher risk from Covid."
Despite the ever-evolving virus still hanging around more than four years after the pandemic first began, the symptoms remain largely the same. The symptoms of Covid can include:
- a high temperature or shivering (chills) – a high temperature means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
- a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
- a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
- shortness of breath
- feeling tired or exhausted
- an aching body
- a headache
- a sore throat
- a blocked or runny nose
- loss of appetite
- diarrhoea
- feeling sick or being sick
However, a study has shed light on how Covid symptoms can progress. Researchers from the University of Southern California have determined that Covid symptoms usually start in this order:
- fever
- cough
- sore throat, muscle pain, or headache
- nausea or vomiting
- diarrhea
The HSE lists fatigue, a high temperature/having chills and a dry cough as the top three Covid symptoms to look out for. Less common symptoms of Covid, according to the HSE, include loss or change to your sense of smell or taste, runny or blocked nose, conjunctivitis, sore throat, headache, muscle or joint pain, different types of skin rash, nausea or vomiting, diarrhoea and chills or dizziness.
If you have any of these symptoms, the HSE advice is to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 48 hours after your symptoms are mostly or fully gone. If you test positive for Covid, the current advice is to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for five days from the date you first had symptoms.
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