New COVID mutated variant suspected in surge of mysterious sore throat and severe cough cases
The Standard (HK) • • health
Key Points:
- Individuals in early April are reporting severe sore throat, high fever, and a persistent intense cough, with many testing negative on rapid COVID-19 tests and finding little relief from standard cold medications.
- Symptoms commonly include severe sore throat, recurring fever, thick yellow-green phlegm, hoarseness leading to voice loss, extreme tracheal itching, severe nighttime cough, persistent negative rapid tests, and extreme fatigue.
- Many patients are being diagnosed with bronchitis, experiencing a recovery period lasting up to four weeks, with initial sharp throat pain followed by voice loss and thick dark green phlegm.
- The symptoms are speculated to be linked to the BA.3.2 COVID-19 variant, also known as “Cicada,” which was first detected in South Africa in 2024 and has since spread to at least 23 countries.
- The CDC notes that BA.3.2 is highly mutated, potentially evading some immune responses, but current evidence shows it does not increase severity or mortality, and vaccines remain effective at preventing serious illness.
