EXPLAINED: THE NEW OMICRON VARIANT OF COVID-19

The World Health Organization (WHO) designated a new SARS-CoV-2 variant presently circulating in South Africa as a ‘variant of concern’ on Friday. It was also given the name Omicron.

The mutation was discovered on Monday by the Network for Genomics Surveillance in South Africa (NGS-SA). It had discovered a cluster of SARS-CoV-2 viruses that belonged to the B.1.1.529 lineage.

According to a press conference held by the South African Health Ministry, the variant has been discovered in Botswana, South Africa, and Hong Kong among travelers returning from South Africa. So far, ten cases have been confirmed.

According to the current data, the new variant may be displacing the prevalent Delta version as well as another major variant known as C.1.2 in that region.

So far, no cases have been reported in India, and India and South Africa do not have direct flights.

However, given the global relaxation of travel restrictions, it wouldn’t be shocking if such arose here in the future. Late Thursday, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued an advisory urging increased airport security

According to the South African National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), “no unique symptoms” have been observed as a result of infection with the B.1.1.529 strain.

It has drawn attention to the fact that, like other infectious variations like Delta, some people are asymptomatic.

NICD also stated that “However, most other targets (including the N and RdRp genes) remain unaffected from specimens tested in over 100 specimens from testing laboratories in Gauteng so it is unlikely that overall PCR test sensitivity is affected.

These PCR tests typically detect at least two different SARS-CoV-2 targets, which serves as a backup in the case of a mutation arising in one.