The World Health Organization is tracing two subspecies of Omicron, Are they more dangerous?

The World Health Organization has announced that a few dozen infections with PA4 and BA5 have been detected in the global database, two new sub-strains of the Omicron, and said it is tracking them to assess whether they are more contagious or more dangerous.

The World Health Organization said Monday it is tracking a few dozen infections with two new highly contagious ummicron sub strains of the coronavirus, to assess whether they are more contagious or more dangerous.

The WHO has added the PA4 and PA5 sub-strains of the original Omicron PA1 strain to its watch list. It is already tracing the PA1 and PA2 strains now circulating around the world, as well as PA1.1 and PA3 strains.

The organization explained that it had begun tracing them because of "the additional mutations that need to be studied further to understand their effects on the possibility of overcoming immunity."

Viruses mutate all the time, but only some mutations affect their ability to spread or overcome immunity acquired from vaccination, previous infection, or the severity of the disease they cause.

For example, PA2 currently accounts for nearly 94 percent of all sequential cases, and is more likely to spread than other Omicron sub-strains, but the evidence so far suggests that it is not likely to cause severe disease.

The World Health Organization says that only a few dozen cases of the two strains (PA4) and (PA5) have been detected in the global database (Global Initiative for the Sharing of All Influenza Data).

Britain's Health Security Agency said last week that the PA4 sub-strain had been detected in South Africa, Denmark, Botswana, Scotland and England from January 10 to March 30.

A recent study confirms: Fluids reduce the risk of serious heart disease

A recent study published by the US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute found that fluid intake and changing daily drinking habits can significantly reduce the risk of heart attack and heart failure.

Research suggests that there are several ways you can reduce your risk of heart failure, including getting regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight, but now experts share a simpler way to reduce this risk through drinks.

A study supervised by the US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute was published in March 2022, concluding that keeping the body adequately hydrated can significantly reduce the risk of heart attack and heart failure.

"Staying hydrated throughout life (by drinking adequate amounts of water daily) may slow the decline in heart function and heart failure," the study reported by Best Life noted.

The researchers analyzed data from people aged 45 to 66, the relationship between blood sodium levels (a measure used to determine the level of dehydration) and the risk of heart failure.

Their study found that “the risk of heart failure increases by 39 percent if the sodium level in middle age exceeds 143 mmol/L, which is equivalent to a water deficit of one percent.”

It states that the "normal" sodium level in the blood ranges between 135 and 145 mmol/L, and 143 indicates that even levels that technically fall within the higher normal range can cause a health problem.

The team of researchers also monitored a relationship between dehydration and left ventricular hypertrophy.

In the conclusion of the study, the researchers stated: "Middle-aged sodium above 142 mmol/L is considered a risk factor for left ventricular hypertrophy and heart failure."

And because the study results suggest that your heart would benefit from staying hydrated, you may be wondering how much water you'll need to drink to reduce your risk.

Citing statistics from the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, men need about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids per day, while women require about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) per day.

"Similar to reducing salt intake, drinking enough water and staying hydrated are ways to support our hearts and may help reduce the long-term risk of heart disease," said Natalia Dmitrieva, PhD, lead author of the study.

And the Best Life website reported that a small change in your daily drinking habits can have a big impact on your heart health.