What does the WHO’s latest report say on Omicron variant of Covid-19?

In the rearmost daily Covid-19 epidemiological update, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said that given the predominant rotation of the Delta variant in numerous countries, it’s too early to draw a conclusion on the impact of the new Omicron variant on the global epidemiology of Covid-19. 

 The global health body further stressed that while several pivotal questions about Omicron remain unanswered, more data will continue to crop in the coming weeks. 

 At the same time, WHO has also presented an update on the current situation on four crucial issues on Omicron — transmissibility, clinical inflexibility, threat of reinfection and the implicit impact of the vaccines. 

What has WHO said on the impact Omicron is likely to have on the epidemiology? 

 WHO said that in South Africa, where the new variant of concern (VOC) was first reported, fresh Covid-19 cases have continued to launch. As numerous as new cases were reported between November 29 and December 5, a 111 increase compared to the former week. More significantly, the country has reported an increase in the test positivity rate from1.2 the week beginning November 7 to22.4 in the week beginning December 2. 

WHO also noted that a huge increase in the daily number of cases has also been seen in some countries neighbouring South Africa, including Eswatini (), Zimbabwe (), Mozambique (), Namibia (681) and Lesotho (219). 

 “ These other countries have veritably low vaccination content ranging from12.1 of the total population completely vaccinated in Namibia to26.7 in Lesotho. In South Africa,25.2 of the total population is completely vaccinated,” WHO said. 

“ While motorists of these increases remain unknown, it’s presumptive that the spread of Omicron in combination with enhanced testing following the protestation of a VOC, play a part, together with the relaxation of public health and social measures (PHSMs) andsub-optimal immunisation content,” WHO stressed. 

 On the global data, WHO said as on December 7, the Omicron variant has been verified in 57 countries. “ Still, given the predominant rotation of the Delta variant in numerous countries, particularly in countries in the European Region and in the United States of America, it’s too early to draw any conclusions about the impact Omicron will have on the global epidemiology of Covid-19,” it said. 

What could be the impact of the new variant on the transmissibility? 

WHO said that at present, while “ there seems to be substantiation that the Omicron may have a growth advantage over other circulating variants, it’s unknown whether this will restate into increased transmissibility”. 

 It stressed the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control’s possible cast on Omicron that if 1 of SARS-CoV-2 infections are due to the Omicron variant, it’ll come dominant in Europe, comprising lower than 50 per cent of the new infections by January 1, 2022, with a growth advantage of lower than 120 and by March 1, 2022, with a growth advantage of lower than 30. 

“ Ongoing and planned epidemiological studies, including detailed cluster examinations, contact- dogging and ménage transmission studies, coupled with neutralisation studies from people preliminarily vaccinated or infected and studies of vaccine effectiveness will help ameliorate our understanding of the interplay between increased transmissibility and vulnerable escape as motorists of increased transmission,” WHO concluded 

What could be the likely impact on the inflexibility of the complaint and reinfection? 

 WHO underscored that presently only limited data are available on clinical inflexibility making it “ challenging to assess any changes in complaint inflexibility with the Omicron variant”. 

 Still, as of December 6, WHO said all of the 212 verified cases linked in the 18 European Union countries — for which there was information available on the inflexibility — were asymptomatic or mild. 

 It also noted that South Africa has seen an 82 per cent increase in sanitarium admissions due to Covid-19 — from 502 to 912 — during the week (November 28 and December 4). Still, the global health body said it’s yet to be known how numerous cases of hospitalisation are linked to the Omicron variant. 

 “ Indeed if the inflexibility is equal or potentially indeed lower than for Delta variant, it’s anticipated that hospitalizations will increase if further people come infected and that there will be a time pause between an increase in the prevalence of cases and an increase in the prevalence of deaths,” WHO stressed. 

 On reinfection, it said primary analysis “ suggests” that the mutations present in the Omicron variant “ may reduce neutralising exertion of antibodies performing in reduced protection from natural impunity”. 

 “ This may explain why the variant seems to be spreading fleetly in a largely vulnerable population similar as South Africa, in which current vaccination content in grown-ups is about 35, but in which seroprevalence situations are estimated to be as high as 60-80 due to once infections, according to recent epidemiological studies and modelling,” WHO said. 

 WHO said that original modelling studies from South Africa have plant an increased threat ofre-infection, adding, this information only offers an original assessment of the threat ofre-infection. 

 “. still, farther studies are demanded to confirm this, including the capability of the Omicron variant to infect orre-infect those who have been vaccinated, as well as to determine the inflexibility of these improvements orre-infections”.

 How may the Omicron variant impact the treatment and vaccines? 

 WHO reiterated that Interleukin-6 Receptor Blockers and corticosteroids are anticipated to continue to be effective in the operation of cases with severe conditions. On vaccines, it said there’s a “ need for further data” to examine whether the mutations “ may affect in reduced protection from vaccine- deduced impunity and data on vaccine effectiveness, including the use of fresh vaccination boluses”.