"Another New Variant Emerges"... 'Omicron + Stealth Omicron' First Detected in Israel

Mild Symptoms Such as Fever, Headache, and Muscle Pain

A new COVID-19 variant has been identified in Israel.
Photo by AFP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] A new COVID-19 variant virus, never reported before, has been discovered in Israel. This time, it is a combination of Omicron and Stealth Omicron.

According to the Israeli daily Haaretz on the 17th, the Israeli Ministry of Health announced on the 16th that two travelers returning from overseas were confirmed to be infected with a new variant combining the existing Omicron (BA.1) and BA.2, commonly called 'Stealth Omicron.'

The BA.2 variant is nicknamed Stealth Omicron because it does not appear in some COVID-19 diagnostic tests, and it is known to have a higher transmissibility than the existing Omicron variant. Recently, countries such as the UK, France, and Italy have seen a resurgence of infections due to Stealth Omicron.

The travelers entered through Ben Gurion International Airport in the capital Tel Aviv and tested positive in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test they received. They are currently showing mild symptoms such as fever, headache, and muscle pain, and according to the Ministry of Health, no special treatment is required.

Dr. Salman Zarka, Israel’s COVID-19 response chief, said in a military radio interview, "At present, we do not worry that the symptoms of the new variant will worsen to severe illness," adding, "It is common for COVID-19 variants to combine with new variants. Different variant viruses exchange parts of their genetic material to create a third virus."

There is still no precise information about the new variant combining BA.1 and BA.2, so further research on transmissibility and symptoms is needed.

Professor Nachman Ash, the Ministry of Health’s chief administrative officer, said, "There is a possibility that this variant originated in Israel," but added, "We do not yet know what this means."

Meanwhile, earlier, a 'Deltacron' variant combining the highly fatal Delta and highly contagious Omicron was discovered in the US and Europe. Experts currently consider it not a virus of major concern, as the number of infections is low and the likelihood of progressing to severe illness is judged to be low.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.