South African doctor The first to report an omicron was that the new coronavirus strain has significantly more mutations compared to the Delta or Beta variants of COVID-19, which can be easily bypassed if not clinically aware of its symptoms.

In an exclusive ANI interview, Dr. Angelique Coetzee said: “I think this variant has been around for some time. Maybe not in South Africa, but in other countries, because the number of infections increased sharply in other countries.”

“If you are not clinically aware of the symptoms, the symptoms will easily go unnoticed. It would continue and spread the virus to the rest of the community,” said the president of the South African Medical Association.

Dr. Coetzee pointed out that there are more than 30 mutations in Omicron. “It’s very different from the Delta or Beta variant in mutations. When our scientists announced this variant, they made it clear that they didn’t know everything about it yet. They just sequenced it.”

“We currently know that RT-PCR tests can pick it up, and rapid tests can confirm that you have COVID and if you look at clinical symptoms and that symptom is not the same as Delta, you can safely assume it is Omicron,” he added. .

When asked about his first reaction to finding a new variant, the South African doctor said he was shocked to learn of the variant.

“I didn’t expect it. We didn’t have many cases in a few weeks. Our Covid infection in South Africa was less than one percent,” the expert said.

“We waited for the fourth wave, but in late December and early January. So it was premature to ask. So I decided to just test a patient who came for symptoms that were not typical of a normal viral infection,” Coetzee said. .

“I thought it might be a viral infection. But … it was COVID-positive. More specifically, on 18 (November) I saw more cases with the same symptoms. Then I alerted the Advisory Committee. And last week it was confirmed that the South Africa saw a new variation. “

Earlier on Thursday, two cases of Omicron variant Covid-19, both from Karnataka, were detected in India, with the first confirmation of a coronavirus strain within the country’s borders that has caused a global alarm.

All primary and secondary contacts between the 46- and 66-year-old men who received the variant have been identified and monitored and the COVID protocol is followed, the Union Department of Health said.

Factor: Shalini Bhardwaj

Source: ANI