Omicron: Variant of concern but unreasonable to panic as no fatalities reported yet

Although the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 is extremely infectious, the symptoms are mild and controllable

The Omicron variant of COVID-19 was first detected in South Africa on November 24. The next day WHO named the variant as Omicron and labelled the virus as a variant of concern. The variant has already spread across 50 nations, but the pleasant news about the variant is that there have not been any deaths of patients afflicted with the Omicron variant.

The WHO has also declared that there have no deaths been reported from any country in patients afflicted with the Omicron virus. In other words, ten days after the declaration of the Omicron as variant of concern, no deaths have been reported from any part of the world.

Omicron is highly contagious but causes mild symptoms

As per the words of the executive officer of Netcare Ltd, largest private health-care network in South Africa, Richard Friedland, the light is visible at the end of the tunnel. The new variant Omicron is highly contagious but its symptoms are mild and manageable. He also said that the world will be seeing the end of the current flu pandemic.

Something similar had happened during the Spanish Flu pandemic also at the beginning of the century. However, it does not mean that the world must slacken its caution.

The variant is currently prevalent in 38 countries

The Omicron was first detected in South Africa and it spread across 38 nations due to air travellers. A number of nations have suspended flight services to and from Africa.

Meanwhile, WHO has asked the global community to quicken the process of vaccination rather than putting curbs on travellers from Africa.

There have been 17 new cases of Omicron across the nation. With this, the total number of patients detected with the variant strain has become 21. Seven new patients of Omicron variant were reported in Maharashtra. In Rajasthan, nine members of a family tested positive for the new variant.

As reported earlier, the variant was first detected in Nederland and since the country has vaccinated a major proportion of its population, the variant did not cause much havoc. The theory that higher vaccination levels are preventing the resurgence of third wave could become true. The coming days will give a clearer picture that the world may be seeing the end of this pandemic.