Clinical data do not suggest that the omicron variant of Covid-19 is more severe / Article

This variant of the virus was first detected in the Republic of South Africa, but is now found in almost every part of the world, including Europe. This means that the virus no longer travels from the south to the top, but across.

In Latvia, too, it is most likely imported from the Nordic countries. This variant of the virus is most common in Europe in the United Kingdom, which is outside the European Union. At least 25 and more cases have also been reported in Denmark, France and Portugal. In Latvia, about 50 samples of materials are currently being tested for compliance with the omicron variant, and experts say with a 90% probability that in two cases, it could certainly be a new type of virus.

This variant of the virus is also detected in the laboratory by sequencing.

What is known about it so far?

The omicron variant of Covid-19 virus has the highest number of mutations to date, around 50, and its peak protein, which allows the virus to enter the human body, has more than 30 different mutations.

Secondly, it is probably even more contagious than the current delta option in Europe. This means that human-to-human transmission of the virus is even easier and faster than with the delta variant of the virus.

Sergey Nichishin, head of the National Reference Laboratory at Riga East Clinical University Hospital (RAKUS), explained: “At some point, he may become dominant. So it’s our job to keep it as long as possible.”

Although it is known to date that the characteristics of the omicron variant of the virus are similar to those of other variants of covidium, such as headache, fever, cough and fatigue, it is too early to judge whether this type of virus will have a more severe course of the disease. So far, the news about there are no deaths, and patients are treated in the same way as patients infected with another type of coronavirus.

Professor of Riga Stradins University, Chairman of RAKUS Medical Council Aivars Lejnieks pointed out –

the virus will not go anywhere, but the workload on hospitals will hopefully be lower.

“Clinical information does not suggest that he is heavier or more complicated. On the contrary, he does not have the much-discussed shortness of breath or [zaudētās] feelings of taste and smell. In this case, he is more like the flu according to the descriptions that are. There is muscle pain, weakness. It’s basically a classic virus infection. But at least to date, I have not heard of a single patient dying. So, from the point of view of such danger, this information is not available yet, “said Lejnieks.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) website, the omicron variant of the virus is more likely to cause recurrence in people who have had covid disease in the past than previous variants. However, information on vaccine protection is still relatively limited.

Professor Lejnieks said: “Express the probability that her [vakcīnas] could be less effective. But if there is a full vaccination and now three vaccines are considered, it will be much easier. Although both Pfizer and Moderna are in the process of developing this omicron mRNA vaccine. Because it is very likely that there could be a vaccine for this omicron virus. “

Experts from the World Health Organization have also acknowledged that vaccination is the safest way to protect themselves even in the face of the inevitable spread of a new variant of Covid-19.

CONTEXT:

Scientists in the Republic of South Africa said on November 24 that they had found out a new variant of the Covid-19 virus with a large number of mutations due to a rapid increase in infections. In South Africa, the worst affected country in Covid-19, the number of new infections registered in a single day has increased tenfold since the beginning of the month, from 106 to around 1,200.

In response to this news, many countries, including the Member States of the European Union, have suspended flights from southern Africa. The Government of Latvia has imposed travel restrictions on eight African countries.

Scientists believe the new variant may be more contagious than the Covid-19 virus delta or Indian variant, as well as more resistant to current Covid-19 vaccines. The 15th letter of the Greek alphabet, omicron, is used to denote the new type of virus.

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