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Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on Tuesday that growing research suggests Omicron has increased infectivity rather than a “severe profile” in the midst of a cloud of concerns over the Omicron coronavirus variant.
“We have molecular data to show that the mutations seen in Omicron and other variations are connected with greater infectivity,” CNN quoted Dr Fauci as saying during a virtual White House briefing.
“Real-world evidence is rapidly gathering – practically on a daily basis – to allow us to identify the rise in instances, likely increase in reproductive number, and rapid replacement of Delta by Omicron in specific conditions,” he said.
However, according to CNN, Dr. Fauci believes it is still too early to identify the exact severity of sickness caused by the Omicron variation.
He remarked, in reference to data from South Africa, “We don’t seem to be seeing a particularly severe profile of the disease in the patients we’ve seen so far. According to a South African study, patients who have previously been infected with other coronavirus types, such as Beta and Delta, are more likely to become reinfected with Omicron.”
He predicted that in the next weeks, the world would hear more about the Omicron variety. Because of the large number of cases, the majority of data on severity will most likely come from South Africa first.
“Given the severity, and the fact that hospitalisation and mortality are typically trailing signs, I expect it to take at least another couple of weeks before we get a good handle on things, and then a really good handle a few weeks after. So, until the next couple of weeks, I wouldn’t recommend drawing any firm conclusions “During the briefing, Fauci told CNN
On November 25, the World Health Organization (WHO) received the first report of the novel COVID-19 strain from South Africa. According to the World Health Organization, the first verified B.1.1.529 infection was discovered in a specimen collected on November 9th of this year.
The novel COVID-19 variation B.1.1.529, discovered in South Africa, was given the name ‘Omicron’ by the WHO on November 26. Omicron is a ‘variant of concern,’ according to the WHO.
