Health officials around the world are closely monitoring the "Perola COVID" strain, which is rapidly spreading globally. But how does it differ from previous strains? What are the symptoms so far? And should we be concerned about it?
The variant scientifically known as BA.2.86 is a new branch of "Omicron." Experts are worried because it has 35 mutations in its spike protein, which is the part of the virus that COVID vaccines are designed to target. Many of Perola's mutations have unknown functions, but some are believed to help the virus evade the immune system. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated last Wednesday that the genetic leap is "almost the same size" as that seen between the initial Omicron variant and the Delta variant.
Virologists have warned that it is too early to determine whether BA.2.86 has any specific new symptoms, as scientists are still analyzing recently discovered cases. However, if it behaves like other Omicron variants, it may exhibit some warning signs to watch for. A study conducted in 2022 and published in the journal "Nature" found that the ancestor of Perola, BA.2, was "significantly" associated with "cold-like" and "flu-like" symptoms.
Professor Laurence Young, a virologist at the University of Warwick, told the "Mail Online": "A combination of changes in the virus and immunity from prior infection and vaccination has altered the symptoms associated with COVID over the past three years. It feels more like a cold now than it did when we first encountered COVID. This does not mean that those more vulnerable due to underlying conditions will not experience more severe symptoms if infected with BA.2.86."
A study conducted by scientists in Japan in 2023 also found that "nasal secretions and phlegm" were more common among those infected with variant BA.2, compared to BA.5. They wrote in the Lancet Infectious Diseases journal that nasal secretions were the second most commonly reported symptom.
