Two unusual new Covid-19 symptoms to watch out for amid post-Christmas spike

A number of new Covid-19 symptoms are being reported amid a post-Christmas spike in cases.

Prior to Christmas, Irish health chiefs at the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) reported that cases of the new Pirola Covid-19 variant had almost tripled but cases are on the rise again in recent days after the Christmas and New Year period.

The HSPC said: “A new variant with an unusually high number of mutations, BA.2.86, was detected in Israel first on August 13, 2023. It has since been found in many countries including Denmark, UK, USA and South Africa, though the prevalence to date is still relatively low and there does not appear to be any evidence of increased transmissibility or impact on clinical severity.”

“Since CDC’s first post on BA.2.86 (Pirola) in August 2023, the proportion of infections caused by BA.2.86 (Pirola) has slowly increased. BA.2.86 (Pirola) is projected to account for 5-15% of currently circulating variants. CDC projects BA.2.86 (Pirola) and its offshoots like JN.1 will continue to increase as a proportion of SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequences," a spokesperson added.

“At this time, BA.2.86 (Pirola) does not appear to be driving increases in infections or hospitalizations in the United States. CDC contributed to and agrees with the World Health Organization’s recent risk assessment about BA.2.86 (Pirola) suggesting that the public health risk posed by this variant is low compared with other circulating variants, based on available limited evidence.

“It is not possible at this time to know whether BA.2.86 (Pirola) infection produces different symptoms from other variants.”

According to the ZOE Health Study, the five most common symptoms of Omicron (of which Pirola is a strain) are:

- Runny nose
- Headache
- Fatigue (mild or severe)
- Sneezing
- Sore throat

Unusually, the UK's Office for National Statistics also lists trouble sleeping and anxiety as symptoms in the latest wave of cases.

New Scientist is reporting further symptoms, including diarrhoea, eye irritation and rashes.

The HSE lists fatigue, a dry cough and a high temperature/having chills among symptoms.

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 advice is to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for five days from the date you first had symptoms.