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Member of the medical employees work within the hallways of the Intensive Care Unit the place Covid-19 sufferers are hospitalised on the Etterbeek-Ixelles Hospital on April 6, 2021, in Brussels.
JOHN THYS | AFP | Getty Photos
Covid signs linked to the brand new omicron variant have been described as “extraordinarily delicate” by the South African physician who first raised the alarm over the brand new pressure.
Dr. Angelique Coetzee, chair of the South African Medical Affiliation, instructed the BBC on Sunday that she began to see sufferers round Nov.18 presenting with “uncommon signs” that differed barely to these related to the delta variant, which is probably the most virulent pressure of the virus to this point and globally dominant.
“It really began with a male affected person who’s across the age of 33 … and he stated to me that he is simply [been] extraordinarily drained for the previous few days and he is acquired these physique aches and pains with a little bit of a headache,” she instructed the BBC.
The affected person did not have a sore throat, she stated, however extra of a “scratchy throat” however no cough or lack of style or odor — signs which have been related to earlier strains of the coronavirus.
Coetzee stated she examined the male affected person for Covid, and he was optimistic, as was his household, after which stated she noticed extra sufferers that day presenting with the identical sorts of signs that differed from the delta variant.
This prompted her to boost the alarm with South Africa’s vaccine advisory committee, of which she is a member.
Different sufferers she had seen to date with the omicron variant had additionally skilled what she described as “extraordinarily delicate” signs, and he or she added that her colleagues had famous comparable instances.
“What we’re seeing clinically in South Africa — and keep in mind I am on the epicenter of this the place I am working towards — is extraordinarily delicate, for us [these are] delicate instances. We have not admitted anybody, I’ve spoken to different colleagues of mine they usually give the identical image.”
Investigations ongoing
The WHO has stated it would take weeks to know how the variant might have an effect on diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines.
Coetzee’s preliminary observations are solely primarily based on a really small variety of instances and specialists are anxious about omicron’s massive variety of mutations. Preliminary proof suggests the pressure has an elevated threat of reinfection, in line with the WHO.
Learn extra: WHO labels new Covid pressure, named omicron, a ‘variant of concern,’ citing doable elevated reinfection threat
Early information suggests the variant is spreading in South Africa extra quickly than earlier variants did and that the variant, identified formally as B.1.1.529, could possibly be beginning to set off a brand new wave of infections, in line with evaluation by the Monetary Occasions.
It might take some time to completely perceive what particular signs, if any, are attributable to the brand new omicron variant on a wider scale.
Covid signs have modified because the virus first emerged in China in late 2019, in line with specialists monitoring the illness. The “alpha” and “delta” variants, first found within the U.Ok. and India, have been seen to trigger completely different signs, for instance, with the latter inflicting extra complications, a runny nostril and fever.
The U.S. CDC has highlighted the number of Covid signs which have been reported, noting that “anybody can have delicate to extreme signs” which will seem 2-14 days after publicity to the virus.
The record of signs the CDC lists contains fever or chills, a cough, fatigue, shortness of breath or problem respiratory, muscle or physique aches, headache, new lack of style or odor, sore throat, congestion or a runny nostril, nausea or vomiting and diarrhea.
Pointless panic?
A swathe of nations have now quickly banned journey from a number of southern African international locations the place the variant has been discovered, a transfer slammed as a “knee-jerk, draconian” response by South Africa’s well being minister on Friday.
Requested by the BBC’s Andrew Marr whether or not international locations just like the U.S., U.Ok., Israel and EU have been “panicking unnecessarily,” Coetzee pressured that the omicron variant had already possible unfold to these international locations.
“I believe you have already got it there in your nation with out even understanding it so I’d say at this stage, positively. Two weeks on, possibly we’ll say one thing completely different,” she added.
Margaret Harris, spokesperson for the WHO, instructed CNBC Monday that “now we have South Africa to thank” for elevating the alarm over the brand new variant, which has already been discovered within the U.Ok., France, Israel, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Australia, Canada and Hong Kong, however not but within the U.S.
The WHO’s Harris stated the group did not prefer to see journey restrictions however understood that international locations wanted to take precautions primarily based on their very own epidemiological conditions and risk-based evaluation of the present information.
The U.N. well being company stated on Monday that the delta variant remains to be accountable for many of the present infections globally and, as such, was nonetheless its largest concern.
“Over 99% of instances world wide are as a result of delta variant and extra deaths are occurring within the unvaccinated,” WHO Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan instructed CNBC’s “Squawk Field Asia” on Monday.
“I believe that is our precedence whereas we wait to seek out out extra about [the omicron] variant.”
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