The Los Angeles County Department of General public Wellbeing is warning citizens that the most recent Omicron pressure of COVID-19 may well arrive with some new signs and symptoms.
The U.S. Centers for Sickness Regulate and Prevention predicts the new variant, a strain identified as XBB.1.16 and recognised as “Arcturus,” at present accounts for 8{7b6cc35713332e03d34197859d8d439e4802eb556451407ffda280a51e3c41ac} of COVID-19 circumstances in California and 10{7b6cc35713332e03d34197859d8d439e4802eb556451407ffda280a51e3c41ac} nationwide.
Conjunctivitis, a lot more generally recognised as “pink eye,” is the most recent achievable symptom of this variant of the Coronavirus. So much, the L.A. County Overall health Office has confirmed 3 documented scenarios of the new pressure.
“Observational data indicates that persons contaminated with XBB.1.16 may perhaps be much more most likely to experience conjunctivitis as a symptom of their COVID infection, along with more classic COVID signs, these kinds of as fever, cough and shortness of breath,” the Overall health Department stated in a statement. “Historically, conjunctivitis was noted in 1 to 3{7b6cc35713332e03d34197859d8d439e4802eb556451407ffda280a51e3c41ac} of COVID-19 cases.”
Nonetheless, with the confined information obtainable, the Department of Community Health and fitness says that it is “too early to know with certainty” if XBB.1.16 is genuinely associated with higher prices of conjunctivitis.
“Residents ought to be informed that itchy, watery or red eyes may be a signal of a COVID-19 infection and these signs and symptoms ought to not be simply just dismissed as a end result of pollen or seasonal allergies, specifically if a person more susceptible to extreme sickness could be uncovered,” the Overall health Office stated. “The truth that we are seeing new strains, with possibly new and distinctive symptoms, tells us that COVID proceeds to evolve and the way we feel about our protections should really reflect what we know.”
More mature grownups and men and women with underlying wellness conditions are inspired to choose excess safeguards to prevent an infection, which consist of keeping up to day on vaccinations, repeated hand washing and remaining household when experience sick.
Free at-house COVID-19 checks can be picked up at libraries and community sites across L.A. County and at General public Wellness vaccination web sites. They can also be ordered by means of the federal federal government.
Vaccination destinations can be discovered at VaccinateLACounty.com and information in Spanish is obtainable at VacunateLosAngeles.com
Citizens may perhaps also simply call the Public Health COVID-19 Phone Heart at 1-833-540-0473.
For much more details and to look at COVID-19 figures, click right here.