Two COVID-19 cases of the Omicron variant have been detected in Karnataka – in men aged 46 and 66 – the Health Ministry said Thursday, calling for calm amid growing concern over a strain that has triggered global alarm.
The Omicron strain – designated a ‘variant of concern’ by the WHO – is believed to have 50+ mutations, including over 30 on the spike protein, which makes it significantly more infectious than the Delta variant that is currently dominant worldwide; it constitutes over 60 percent of all Covid cases in India.
Precautions from omicron variant of coronavirus
Latest updates on omicron variant in India
The 66-year-old man, who has received both vaccine doses, traveled from South Africa on November 20 with a negative Covid report. He tested positive on arrival and was asymptomatic, following which he was told to self-isolate. A week later (with negative Covid information from a private lab), he flew to Dubai. Samples from 24 primary and 240 secondary contacts have returned negative test results.
The second patient is a health worker from Bengaluru who developed symptoms (fever and body ache) on November 21. He tested positive the following day and was admitted to the hospital; his sample was sent for genome sequencing on the same day. However, three days later, he was discharged. His vaccination status is unclear at this time.
A 35 years old woman from Rangareddy district, who flew down to Hyderabad from the UK, also has tested Covid positive, and officials are waiting for genome sequencing results.
While confirming the detection of two cases of Omicron variant in Bengaluru, the Union Health Ministry asked people not to panic but follow Covid-appropriate behavior and get vaccinated without delay. It also said the scientific reasoning for booster vaccine doses is under examination and that priority is to complete the task of receiving both jabs of COVID vaccine.
According to an official, three hundred seventy-three cases of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 have been detected in 29 nations so far.
Abbot says its rapid and PCR tests can detect the Omicron variant.
Global healthcare company Abbot has announced that it has conducted an assessment of the Omicron variant, and it is confident that the rapid and PCR tests can detect the virus.
“Abbott has been intently monitoring the mutations of Covid-19, so we can ensure our tests can detect them. We have already assessed the Omicron variant, and we’re confident our rapid and PCR tests can detect the virus. While the Omicron variant contains mutations to the spike protein, Abbott’s rapid and molecular tests do not rely on the spike gene to detect the virus,” it said in a global statement.
Abbott is currently manufacturing more than 100 million Covid-19 rapid and PCR tests a month to help support the increased need for testing around the globe.
Omicron Covid variant ups reinfection risk by three-fold: Study
Global healthcare company Abbot has announced that it has conducted an assessment of the Omicron variant, and it is confident that the rapid and PCR tests can detect the virus.
“Abbott has been intently monitoring the mutations of Covid-19, so we can ensure our tests can detect them. We have already assessed the Omicron variant, and we’re confident our rapid and PCR tests can detect the virus. While the Omicron variant contains mutations to the spike protein, Abbott’s rapid and molecular tests do not rely on the spike gene to detect the virus,” it said in a global statement.
Abbott is currently manufacturing more than 100 million Covid-19 rapid and PCR tests a month to help support the increased need for testing around the globe.
WHO says measures against delta work for omicron variant too.
Measures and experience gained in dealing with the delta variant should remain the foundation for fighting the pandemic.
Covid vaccine will likely prevent disease, death regardless of variant: WHO
Amid concerns of vaccine escape by the new super mutant Omicron variant of the coronavirus, WHO’s Chief Scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan on Thursday said that existing vaccines would likely prevent disease and death.
According to the scientists, it is “highly likely” that Omicron can escape immunity caused by previous infection or vaccination because of the presence of over 30 mutations on its spike protein, which binds to human cells, associated with higher transmission and a decrease in antibody protection.
Regardless of the variant, complete vaccination is likely to protect against severe disease and deaths, especially in older age groups.
There is no need to panic, only precautions shared by WHO for earlier variant would be enough to control the spread.
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