Omicron COVID Variant Highly Transmissible, But Not Deadly: WHO, Dr Fauci

In a statement, both WHO and Dr Fauci have said that while the new variant, Omicron is highly contagious, it is not as dangerous as it is believed to be.

India has inevitably witnessed the first few cases of the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron. While the world knows about COVID-19 for the past two years but there is much worry about this particular strain that has become a cause of concern in many countries. But why is the health authorities so worried? Is the new variant more dangerous than the previous strains the world is familiar with?

As concerns rise by the minute, more information has surfaced about the contagious strain. Reports have suggested that there is a spike in hospitalization in South Africa, the situation is "not alarming," said President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Early Data On Omicron Does Not Suggest That It Is Severe: Fauci

According to Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious disease expert, early evidence on the Omicron Covid-19 variant is "a bit encouraging" and does not show a high level of hazard. "Though it's too early to make any definitive statements about it," Fauci said on CNN's 'State of the Union' on Sunday, "it does not appear to be of a tremendous degree of severity."

Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) feel there is no need to be alarmed because the variant is super mild.' The symptoms of the new variation are not as serious as those of the Delta form, according to Dr Angelique Coetzee of the South African Medical Association. The doctor emphasised that no deaths or major illnesses had been reported as a result of the new variant, implying that it may not be as serious a concern as some have speculated in recent weeks.

Is The Variant More Transmissible?

More than 30 countries have been infected with Omicron and that number of expected to rise, as per the data by the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Lab tests are planned to see if the super mutant Omicron is more transmissible than other strains, resistant to vaccine immunity, and has a more severe infection. The results should be available in a few weeks. "We know we have several dozen cases and we're following them closely. And we are every day hearing about more and more probable cases so that number is likely to rise," Walensky was quoted as saying on ABC News 'This Week'.

People Should Continue Practicing Precautions Nonetheless

"Even if we have a large number of cases that are mild, some of those individuals will need hospitalisations. They will need to go into the ICU and some people will die. We don't want to see that happen on top of an already difficult situation with Delta circulating globally," she said.

To stop the spread of the variation, the US, along with more than 50 other countries, placed a travel restriction on South Africa and seven other southern African countries last week. Scientists, on the other hand, believe that the travel restrictions have arrived too late and may even stifle research into the new super mutant.

According to Fauci, the US will likely relax its restriction on travellers from Southern African countries in a decent period. However, the Delta form continues to be the cause of most instances in the United States. Meanwhile, health authorities also suggest that you people should mask up, maintain social distancing, keep hand hygiene, avoid unnecessary travel, and practice other precautions to control the surge of the new variant.

(with inputs from agencies)