WHO warning regarding new Covid variant PJ.2.1, flu-like symptoms

According to a report published on the Aaj Tak digital news platform, several types of forms and variants of the coronavirus have emerged in the past few years, and now in this very continuous chain, a new Covid-19 variant PJ.2.1 has currently become a subject of massive discussion. Recently, an important statement has been issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding this new variant. It has been clarified by the WHO that it has now become extremely difficult to identify solely and purely on the basis of physical symptoms whether the infection a person has contracted is of Covid, common flu, or some other virus. Under such circumstances, it becomes quite imperative for patients to get timely medical tests done in the event of a necessity arising.

The World Health Organization has stated that in the past, some symptoms of old Covid variants that had appeared used to be of a completely different type compared to the common flu, but in this new type of infection, severe sore throat, coughing, runny nose, and heavy fatigue persisting in the body for a long time, that is, for many days, is Covid or common flu is almost impossible to accurately identify without any kind of test. In fact, all the symptoms of this new variant PJ.2.1 of Covid-19 have been found to be very similar to common cold, chill, and flu.

This new variant PJ.2.1 is a new strain of the Covid virus itself. Cases of this new variant had emerged from the country of the United States, that is, America, during the month of June of the current year. Now, very important information has been shared with everyone by the WHO regarding this serious variant. In this, special mention has been made of the information that has come to light regarding the infection associated with PJ.2.1 of severe and intense pain in the throat, as well as experiencing extreme fatigue in the body for a long time even after becoming fully cured of the illness following infection. All these symptoms have been described in detail by Elena Malinnikova, an infectious disease specialist and virologist from the country of Russia. However, these symptoms cannot yet be accepted as absolute or definitively observed symptoms in all patients for this new variant. It has also been clarified by the WHO that this new variant is not extremely dangerous in any way and most of its symptoms are just like the common flu.

If we talk about it, the actual status of the SARS-CoV-2 virus infection in the human body can be easily gauged through the PCR test. On the other hand, the exact protein of the virus is identified through the Rapid Antigen Test (RAT). But through common Covid tests, it is never known which variant has spread this particular infection. To accurately and firmly confirm this new variant PJ.2.1, undergoing the genome sequencing procedure is extremely essential.

According to health experts, senior citizens of society, that is, the elderly, all people with weak immunity, and patients already battling some serious illness should never take any common symptom of respiratory infection lightly and should not ignore it. In case of sudden fever in the body, continuous coughing, or the condition of severe throat pain, taking proper advice from a doctor on an immediate basis is very necessary. Apart from this, if one experiences unusual difficulty in breathing or has a complaint of continuous chest pain, one must immediately contact the nearest hospital without delaying even a bit.