Latest COVID variant has 'strange' symptom that only occurs at night
Trinity College Dublin professor explains that differences in symptoms between strains exist partly due to genetic changes within virus
July 19, 2022
- Initially, most unique symptom of COVID-19 was loss of taste and smell.
- Subvariant BA.5 along with BA.4 have become dominant strains of virus now.
- Latest variant shows new symptom: night sweats.
While initially the most unique symptom of COVID-19 was the loss of taste and smell, the latest variant is showing a new symptom: night sweats.
The subvariant BA.5, which is also known as the sibling of the Omicron variant, with BA.4, has become the dominant strain of the virus, reported IFL Science.
According to the CDC, in the US alone, the BA.5 strain accounts for 65% of COVID cases.
While talking to an Irish radio station NewsTalk, a Professor of biochemistry from Trinity College Dublin, Professor Luke O’Neill, said that one "extra" symptom of the subvariant he saw was night sweats.
“Isn’t that strange?" he said.
These subvariants are excellent at attacking the immune responses. Previously, if a person had been infected with SARS-CoV-2, they were considered safe from the virus after one cycle ended. With the subvariants, this is not the case anymore.
The BA.5's ability to reinfect is concerning to healthcare professionals.
Professor O’Neill explained that the differences in the symptoms existed partly due to genetic changes within the virus.
The slight changes that have occurred in the virus "might give rise to a slightly different disease", he elaborated.
"...with strangely enough night sweats being a feature."
