AMN/ WEB DESK
South African health officials urged the public not to panic over the emergence of the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus, which appears to be driving a new wave of cases in the country. It is still too soon, they said, to make solid assessments of whether Omicron has a higher rate of transmission or will cause more hospitalizations or severe illness.
Salim Abdool Karim, a leading epidemiologist and H.I.V./AIDS researcher who is part of the country’s public health response to the coronavirus pandemic said that they do not have sound, reliable data on the clinical presentation but they have no red flags that have been raised so far.
Scientists are racing to understand the effect of the cluster of mutations seen in the Omicron variant. Still, comparing its mutations with those of other “variants of concern” identified by the World Health Organization suggests that Omicron can be expected to have enhanced transmissibility and some level of immune escape, Mr. Karim said. Vaccine manufacturers are figuring out whether their existing products will work against it or whether modified vaccines will be required.