New coronavirus strain identified: difficult to distinguish from the flu

The World Health Organization (WHO) has provided information on the symptoms of a new coronavirus strain called PJ.2.1. Experts note that the signs caused by this variant can be very similar to those of a common cold or the flu. Therefore, it is not easy to distinguish it from other respiratory infections.

According to WHO data, the new strain manifests with symptoms common to many respiratory infections. This similarity makes it difficult to diagnose the disease based solely on external symptoms. In other words, it is impossible to reliably determine which virus has been contracted based on the symptoms observed in a person.

Therefore, laboratory tests are required to identify the specific virus and make an accurate diagnosis. This method is crucial for determining the type of infection.

At the same time, Alexey Agranovsky, a professor at the Department of Virology at the Faculty of Biology of Moscow State University, stated that the PJ.2.1 coronavirus strain does not pose a high level of risk like previous variants.

According to the expert, there is currently no sufficient basis to introduce quarantine measures to prevent the entry of this strain into regions. Thus, there is no need to apply restrictive measures due to the new variant for now.