Omicron is a new strain of the virus that cause Covid-19.
After the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, the world is yet to recover from the effects of the pandemic on all sectors of the world; and is not ready to combat a new virus.
On 24 November 2021, World Health Organisation found about B. 1. 1. 529 and named it Omicron within two days.
The omicron variant is alarming everyone from scientists to world leaders. South Africa first reported it to World Health Organisation and in recent weeks, infections have increased steeply. The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all provinces in South Africa where it was first reported.
The first confirmed infection was from a specimen collected on 9 November 2021.
To detect omicron, swabs are sent to labs for analysis. To confirm if it is a positive case of omicron, full genetic analysis is needed and that can take up to a couple of weeks.
Symptoms of omicron Variant:
The variant could cause some slightly different symptoms.
At the moment, World Health Organisation says there is no evidence that symptoms of omicron are difficult to trace over other variants.
However, some symptoms could be:
- A new cough
- Fever chills
- Loss of taste or smell
- Difficult breath
- Shortness of breath
Omicron is not clear if it spreads more easily. It makes people more unwell than other variants.
Currently, countries that have cases of omicron are:
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Canada
- Czech Republic
- France
- Germany
- Hong Kong
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Nigeria
- South Africa etc.
Omicron’s very emergence is another reminder that although many of us might think we are done with COVID-19, it is not done with us,” said the WHO’s director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
