While Omicron continues to grow at high speed the number of contaminations in the territory, the National Public Health Agency has analyzed the symptoms suffered by people affected by this variant of Covid-19.
Public health France note that a large majority of patients studied are symptomatic. In its epidemic update published Thursday, we also learn that among the most frequent symptoms, asthenia (abnormal fatigue) comes first (59%), followed by cough (54%) and fever (48%) .
Note that with the Omicron variant, only 10% of patients experienced a loss of taste or smell, unlike the Delta variant, reports The Parisian. Once again, the study of Public health France points out that if this variant is particularly contagious, its dangerousness remains moderate: in fact 5 patients, out of the 317 positive Omicron cases studied, were hospitalized.
Vaccination, always an ally
Other good news: the rate of hospitalizations after emergency visits for suspected Covid-19 has been falling for two weeks, informs the agency in its epidemiological point. Other symptoms commonly seen with the Omicron variant include sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose and a feeling of fever. Very rarely (for only 18 respondents) contamination with this variant led to nausea or vomiting.
In addition, two thirds of the sample of Public health France received two doses of vaccine, and 5% received a booster injection. “It is clear that if you are vaccinated, especially if you have received a booster dose, Omicron tends to produce milder infections”, indicates in this sense to NBC Dr William Schaffner, infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville (United States).
Ear pain: a new symptom?
Still on the side of the United States, researchers from Stanford University recently indicated that they had discovered a possible affection of the inner ear due to Covid-19. If pain has been observed in several patients, this symptom is not yet officially listed by Public health France. Obviously, the experts have not finished making discoveries about this virus …