Two ‘strange’ Omicron symptoms: ‘Covid-19 eye’ and hair loss

People infected with the Omicron variant of Covid-19 are reporting two unusual symptoms as the outbreak spreads across Australia.

Omicron is rampant across Australia, with tens of thousands catching Covid-19 every day.

It is a milder illness, especially in the vaccinated, but can still throw up some strange and uncomfortable symptoms.

The first official UK report revealed the risk of hospitalisation with Omicron in the jabbed is 50 to 70 per cent lower than with Delta, The Sun reports.

Covid boosters protect against Omicron and offer the best chance to get through the pandemic, health officials have repeatedly said.

Two strange symptoms that have popped up for sufferers are pink eye or conjunctivitis and hair loss.

Covid-19 is causing “unusual” symptoms in some people. Picture: AFP

Eye trouble can appear alongside other symptoms, which is within about two days for Omicron, and hair loss is more likely near the end of an illness.

According to Healthline, the virus enters the body’s cells through receptors for the enzyme called angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) by tricking it into thinking it’s the enzyme rather than Covid.

The ACE2 receptors are found in parts of the eyes, such as the retina and the epithelial cells that line the eye white and eyelid.

Zac Morey suffered from orbital cellulitis, an inflammatory ailment that’s been linked to the coronavirus. Picture: Angela Morey / SWNS

And although hair loss is not a typical Covid symptom, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association hair shedding is quite common after a high fever.

Hair loss or telogen effluvium as it’s medically known happens when more hairs than normal enter their “shedding” phase of the hair growth life cycle.

A 9-year-old UK boy named Zac Morey shocked his mother when he contracted “Covid-eye,” an alleged side effect of the coronavirus.

“His eye looked like it was going to explode,” the boy’s mum, Angela, told SWNS of the unfortunate COVID complication.

The issue reportedly began after the Bristol, England, native and her five children tested positive for the disease on December 16, the New York Post reports.

Zac recovered his sight after a course of antibiotics and was discharged from the hospital. Picture: Angela Morey / SWNS

Her son Zac reportedly experienced flu-like symptoms and spent his quarantine at home playing computer games.

Despite testing negative at the doctor’s office on December 22, the fifth-grader reportedly developed pain in his left eye.

Initially thinking it was caused by his constant screen time, Angela realised something was awry after the peeper ballooned up to alarming proportions over the next few days.

“It was swollen beyond anything I’ve ever seen,” said Zac’s aghast parent. “There was no way he could open it without pulling the skin.”

A fully recovered Zac Morey with his mum, Angela Morey. Picture: Angela Morey / SWNS

Angela drove her suffering child to the hospital on Christmas Eve, whereupon doctors diagnosed him with orbital cellulitis, an infection in the eye area that some scientists have linked to Covid-19. However, it’s “indeterminate that Covid-19 is coincidental or a predisposing factor to this presentation,” according to an April 2021 case study.

According to research so far, Omicron results in milder illness than the Delta variant did – especially for vaccinated people.

Experts across the globe have also highlighted at least eight early warning signs of Omicron you should never ignore.

It’s thought these tend to come on quickly and quite early in the illness, from about two days after exposure.

They seem to last for around five days, but of course can go quicker, and some can linger.

If you have Covid symptoms of any kind, you should get a PCR test and self-isolate until the results come back.

The common early warning signs of Omicron include:

● Scratchy throat

● Lower back pain

● Runny nose/congestion

● Headache

● Fatigue

● Sneezing

● Night sweats

● Body aches

They are noticeably different to the classic trio of Covid symptoms which are a cough, fever and loss of taste or smell.

NSW has recorded 34,994 new cases and six deaths on Thursday after it was revealed rapid antigen tests will be made free for all concession card holders.

Concession card holders will be able to access up to ten rapid antigen tests over a three-month period for free, with costs split between the Commonwealth and the states.

Victoria broke its daily record on Thursday with 21,997 new Covid-19 cases and six deaths as people swamp testing centres and queue for vaccinations.