From the Covid Pirola variant to RSV – 7 viruses in circulation right now and how to spot them
BRITONS will soon be able to monitor a range of common viruses in a similar way to how cases were tracked during the Covid pandemic.
A new Government dashboard will showing trends in bugs across Britain.
These will include colds and flu, with hospital admissions and deaths also being shown.
Despite the WHO declaring the end of the pandemic earlier this year, coronavirus remains in circulation.
But what other viruses should Brits be aware of?
Covid
A new Covid vaccination drive was brought forward due to fears over the Pirola variant.
The highly mutated BA.2.86 strain caused an outbreak in a care home in Norwich.
There is currently no evidence to suggest Pirola causes any new symptoms that aren’t already common with other Omicron variants.
According to the ZOE study, these include:
- Runny nose
- Headache
- Tiredness
- Sneezing
- Sore throat
RSV
Respiratory syncytial virus normally causes cold-like symptoms in adults.
However, it can be more dangerous in children and the elderly, wit the virus is the most common cause of bronchiolitis in infants.
Symptoms of the chest infection include:
- breathing more quickly
- finding it difficult to feed or eat
- noisy breathing (wheezing)
- becoming irritable
Flu
Britain faced a twindemic of Covid and flu last year, and the latter is expected to pick up again this winter.
Flu jabs are also being rolled out to eligible Brits currently, in the hope of keeping infections low in the most vulnerable.
Signs include:
- a sudden high temperature
- an aching body
- feeling tired or exhausted
- a dry cough
- a sore throat
- a headache
- difficulty sleeping
- loss of appetite
- diarrhoea or tummy pain
- feeling sick and being sick
Parainfluenza
Human parainfluenza viruses can cause infections in infants and young children but most recover on their own.
In serious cases, they can develop more severe illnesses like pneumonia.
Symptoms are similar to the common cold, including:
- fever
- runny nose
- cough
- sneezing
- sore throat
Adenovirus
Another common cold virus currently in circulation is adenovirus.
It hit the headlines last year over links to a mystery hepatitis outbreak in children, believed to be caused by low immunity from successive lockdowns during the pandemic.
It normally causes mild symptoms but can also cause conjunctivitis.
Signs of infection are:
- Sore throat
- Jaw pain
- Gritty sensation and watering eyes
Rhinovirus
Rhinovirus is the most frequent cause of the common cold.
Symptoms include:
- Cough
- Sneeze
- Runny Nose
- Nasal congestion
- Sore throat
- Headache
- Body Aches
- Fever
Human metapneumovirus
Human metapneumovirus is another respiratory virus to watch out for.
Like many on the list, infections are usually mild but can be more dangerous in children and old people.
Signs include:
- cough runny nose
- nasal congestion
- sore throat
- fever