OMICRON or B.1.1.529: Are We Going back to Point Zero
According to an statement from Director-general of the World Health Organization Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus "Omicron is spreading at a rate we have not seen with any previous variant,”, in conjunction with the data reported by worldometer on December 15, 2021, indicating a total of 5,342, 179 deaths so far from the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak; and 272, 146, 299 confirmed cases in 222 countries and territories worldwide, while the fatality rate is still being assessed. This new variant of concern (VOI); SARS-CoV-2 -B.1.1.529 or “Omicron” is being discussed at every level since November 26, 2021, suggestive of potentially more transmissible, and confer resistance to therapeutics, or partially escape infection- or vaccine-induced immunity. This new variant though first reported by South Africa has been isolated in Netherland couple of days ago around third week of November 2021. Currently, as reported by WHO, Omicron accounts for 90% of COVID-19 cases in South Africa and is a growing problem in Europe; has been reported from approximately 80 countries, and at least thirty seven (37), U.S. states.
Citation: Hakim ST. “OMICRON or B.1.1.529: Are We Going back to Point Zero”. SVOA Microbiology 3:1 (2021) Pages 41-43.
