Rapid spread of new Covid variant Omicron

As 2021 draws to a close, all hopes that the Covid-19 pandemic might fade with it have been dashed by a new variant of concern, labelled Omicron, taking hold across the globe.

Scientists in a private, South African testing laboratory stumbled upon Omicron while routinely examining PCR results. Having observed some peculiar anomalies, they were unclear whether a novel virus or emerging Covid variant was at play. Virologists undertook follow-up genetic sequencing tests which confirmed a new variant.

Head of Virology at the Lancet laboratories, Professor Eftyxia Vardas and her team then alerted national agencies which coordinate responses to contagious diseases.

Professor Eftyxia Vardas: "We presented that data to them. And then they spoke to other people around the country that had, were also observing the same thing. And that was the discovery of Omicron."

On analysis, incoming test results evidenced that Omicron was outcompeting the Delta variant, formerly the dominant strain of infection in South Africa. This was, in turn, creating a massive surge in levels of transmission.

In spite of numerous countries shutting their borders to travellers from South Africa and countries in close proximity to it, Omicron infections have been climbing rapidly worldwide.

Continued research is vital to understand its transmission vectors and vaccine escape.

Professor Eftyxia Vardas: "So, we're not sure what it is. Is it Omicron is a better virus and can be transmitted better? Or that people were letting their guards drop and congregating together and spreading it within certain groupings? So, you know, that can occur as well."

Implications for the ongoing crisis are currently being assessed globally. Initial World Health Organisation data appear to confirm that Omicron's significantly more contagious, with a higher degree of vaccine escape, posing increased risk to people previously infected or vaccinated compared to existing variants. Despite this, it may emerge that Omicron causes a milder disease.

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