COVID-19 is no longer a national emergency, but this does not make the virus less contagious, dangerous, or easily transmissible.
New variants continue to be a major cause for concern, and the most recent strain, Arcturus, exhibits a new symptom: pink eye.
New Symptom Of Arcturus
According to Christina Johns, MD, a pediatric emergency physician and senior medical advisor at PM Pediatric Care, the XBB.1.16 subvariant of Omicron, also known as Arcturus, is the second most prevalent strain of Coronavirus currently circulating in the United States, after Omicron.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are monitoring its volume, but the World Health Organization still considers its global risk assessment to be low.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has confirmed an outbreak of Arcturus and issued a warning about a new symptom known as conjunctivitis also known as pink eye, which causes inflammation of the membrane lining the eyelid and the white of the eye.
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What Is Pink Eye And Its Symptoms?
Pink eye is defined by redness, itching, or a gritty sensation in one or both eyes, as well as a discharge that crusts over the eyelid and eyelashes, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Early evidence suggests that Arcturus is more contagious than other strains, and anecdotal evidence suggests that children are more susceptible to pink eye than adults, according to Dr. Johns.
POPSUGAR spoke with specialists to find out if the recent pink eye outbreak is a new symptom of the COVID-19 virus.
Dr. Johns explains that pink eye was a less common but not unheard-of symptom of previous COVID-19 strains. She explains that although pink eye has been reported more frequently in children with Arcturus, it is not a new symptom of the disease as a whole.
According to a report from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, one to three percent of COVID-19 cases have historically been diagnosed with pink eye.
It’s too soon to tell if Arcturus is truly associated with higher rates of pink eye, but it’s possible that itchy, watery, or red eyes are an indication of infection and should not be dismissed as seasonal allergies.
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