What are the symptoms of the new COVID variants in Mexico?

33

During the last days of July 2024, Mexico has experienced a notable increase in COVID-19 cases and the new variants have a great responsibility for its spread.

Although the Ministry of Health pointed out that this is not a national alarm, the implementation of the recommended hygiene measures must continue.

These variants had been previously detected in the United States, a diagnosis made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where a few months ago the population reported symptoms associated with COVID.

Although few cases have been reported in Mexico, it is desirable to implement appropriate measures, such as the use of face masks, in addition to hand washing, among other precautions.

What are the new variants of COVID-19?

The new variants spread in the Mexican population are KP.2 and KP.3 of the Sars-CoV-2 virus, which could increase their infections during this holiday season. These variants belong to the Omicron family, characterized by being more contagious than others, leading to their rapid spread.

So far, eight cases associated with the KP.2 variant and one case related to the KP.3 variant have been recorded in Mexico, the latter in a 50-year-old man who arrived from the United States to Mexico City.

What are the symptoms of these variants?

Because they belong to the Omicron family, they present symptoms similar to a common cold, with the difference that these new strains also bring with them gastrointestinal discomfort. The most frequent symptoms are:

Cough: persistent and dry.
Fever: high, similar to that observed in other viral infections.
Fatigue: constant feeling of tiredness and lack of energy.
Respiratory distress: trouble breathing or feeling of shortness of breath.
Nasal congestion: stuffy nose or runny nose.
Headache: intense and prolonged.
Muscle pain: myalgia or generalized body aches.
Sore throat: irritation or pain when swallowing.
Gastrointestinal symptoms: diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea, which are less common in other variants.
Loss of taste and smell: although less frequent than in the initial variants of the virus.

In the presence of any associated symptoms, we recommend going to health specialists, who will be able to provide an adequate diagnosis and treatment.

Recommendations and preventive measures

The Mexican Ministry of Health has emphasized that, although this is not a national alarm, it is crucial to follow the recommended preventive measures to avoid the spread of the virus. These measures include:

Use of face masks: especially in closed and crowded places.
Hand washing: frequent and correct, with soap and water.
Social distancing: maintain a safe distance from other people, particularly in public spaces.
Vaccinated people have milder symptoms and are better protected against severe forms of the disease. Therefore, it is essential to keep the vaccination schedule up to date and receive booster doses when necessary.

Source: infobae