The World Health Organization (WHO) recently identified a new strain of the Covid-19 virus in South Africa’s Gauteng province. The strain was initially referred to as lineage B.1.1.529 but is now called omicron (a Greek letter). According to the WHO, it will take weeks to understand how the variant affects diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines. The WHO has named omicron a virus of concern because it has some concerning properties. The variant has an unusual constellation of mutations and a profile that is different from other Covid-19 variants of concern. This variant is more transmissible, more virulent, and more adept at evading therapeutics, and vaccines.
New Covid-19 Variant Identified
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently identified a new strain of the Covid-19 virus in South Africa’s Gauteng province. The strain was initially referred to as lineage B.1.1.529 but is now called omicron (a Greek letter). According to the WHO, it will take weeks to understand how the variant affects diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines. The WHO has named omicron a virus of concern because it has some concerning properties. The variant has an unusual constellation of mutations and a profile that is different from other Covid-19 variants of concern. This variant is more transmissible, more virulent, and more adept at evading therapeutics, and vaccines.
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/26/who-labels-newly-identified-covid-strain-as-omicron-says-its-a-variant-of-concern.html