For the last two years, the world facing the havoc of Coronavirus was trying to get back on track, but the new variant, Omicron, has once again raised the concerns of the people. Scientists in South Africa have identified a new variant of COVID-19 in Gauteng, the country's most populous province, and have warned the World Health Organization of its potential dangers. Its cases are increasing rapidly in the Netherlands, Israel, Denmark and Australia. WHO has put it in the category of 'Variants of Concern’? The Government of India has also become alert after the new variant of Corona came to the fore. Let us know how different the Omicron variant is from the old variant of Corona and how serious it can be.
Omicron variant
spreads rapidly - According to South African Health Minister Joe
Fahla, the cases of Omicron variant in the country have increased rapidly in
the last few days. In the last few weeks, only more than 200 new cases were
reported every day, but on Saturday, more than 3,200 cases were reported in a
single day, most of them from Gauteng province. To understand this sudden
increase in cases, scientists studied samples of the virus. According to Tulio
de Oliveira, director of the KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing
Platform, 90% of the new cases in Gauteng were of the Omicron variant.
Why are
scientists worried about the new variant - After assessing the data,
the WHO has said, 'Preliminary evidence suggests that this variant has a higher
risk of re-infection than other variants. This means that people who have been
infected by COVID-19 and have been cured, they can easily come again in its
grip. There are about 30 mutations in this variant in the spike protein of the
coronavirus. Therefore, there is a possibility of spreading it easily among
people.
Sharon Peacock, who leads the genetic sequencing of COVID-19
at the University of Cambridge, told AP News, 'The data so far suggests that
the new variant is a mutation that spreads rapidly. However, complete
information is not yet available about its many mutations. Virologist Lawrence
Young of the University of Warwick says that Omicron has the most mutated
version of the virus ever seen. Never before have so many mutations been seen
in a single virus. This is the reason why scientists are worried about the new
variant.
Is the Omicron variant contagious but also dangerous?
Scientists say that Omicron is genetically different from previous beta and
delta variants, but it is not yet known whether these genetic changes make it
more dangerous. It cannot be said clearly about the fact that this variant can
make the disease very serious. It may also take some time for scientists to
find out whether the current vaccine is effective on this new variant of corona
or not.
Some of Omicron's genetic changes are worrying, but still, there is no clear information on how much risk it poses to people's health. Earlier, scientists had issued warnings about some variants such as beta variants, but they did not spread much. Professor Peacock says, 'We do not know whether the new variant is as dangerous as the Delta.' Let us tell you that so far Delta has been considered as the most infectious variant of COVID-19.
COVID-19 Updates
Symptoms:
What are the symptoms of Omicron Variant?
There are 5 points that we should keep in mind.
1. The patient
shows extreme tiredness, which is not limited to any age group.
2.
Second,
there is not major drop in Oxygen saturation levels.
3.
Patients
infected with omicron strain have not reported loss or taste of smell.
4.
Patients of
Omicron variant have complained of “Scratchy Throat”.
5.
Most
patients of Omicron strain have recovered without hospitalisation, say doctors.
A/c to WHO, the Omicron variant is likely to spread internationally.
WHO has urged countries to prepare by accelerating vaccinations and put mitigation plans in place to maintain essential health services?
In a statement, WHO mentioned that Omicron has an unpredictable number of spike mutation, some of which are concerning for their potential impact on the trajectory of the pandemic.
WHO added that,” To date, no deaths linked to Omicron variant have been reported”.
The overall global risk related to the new variant of concern Omicron is assessed as very high, it said.
Most research is needed to understand Omicron’s potential to escape protection against immunity induced by vaccines and previous infections, said WHO.
WHO on Friday declared Omicron a,” variant of concern”, Placing the new strain into the most troubling category on Covid variants.
In India, there new rules are brought for India arrivals and Airports.
1.
Every international passenger coming to India
has to fill a self- declaration form and show a negative RT-PCR test report.
They can’t enter India if any of these two conditions are not fulfilled.
2.
Those coming from “at risk nations like South
Africa have to give samples for RT-PCR testing after reaching India, and anyone
found positive will be quarantined. If the person is infected with the Omicron
strain, stricter isolation rules would apply.
3.
People from “at-Risk” nations who test negative
will, however have to be in home quarantine for seven days. They will be tested
again on Day 8.
4.
There will be random sampling of people for
RT-PCR tests if they are arriving form nations considering not at risk. However
the samples of anyone found positive will be sent for genome sequencing and the
person will be quarantined.
5.
Those coming from countries considered not at
risk and whose samples have been advised to monitor themselves carefully for at
least two weeks.