Due to the founding of a new variant of Corona, the ‘Omicron’ world is on high alert. As of now, every government wants to protect its citizens and their economy. Let’s know more about the Omicron variant!
The new variant was found in South Africa and since then it is also been identified in Australia, the UK, Germany, Israel, Italy, the Czech Republic & Hong Kong.
Due to this, Israel banned foreigners from entering Israel. However, the government approval is still pending. Seven cases of the variant were found in Israel, in which one person returned from Malawi, said the Health Ministry.
Two more cases were also identified in Australia after traveling from southern Africa. They are in isolation with the other 12 passengers who came from southern Africa. In reaction to this, Australia also banned the entry of foreigners traveling to southern Africa traveling for the last 14 days.
On Saturday, South Korea’s Disease Control and Prevention Agency declared it was forcing restrictions on travelers from eight southern African countries. The agency said foreign nationals from South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, Malawi, and Mozambique are restricted from entering South Korea. Visas have been revoked until further notice.
What’s happening in Europe?
Europe is also hastily forcing travel bans and struggling to enhance its Coronavirus sequencing skills after several countries on the continent reported speculated Omicron cases.
A speculated case of the variant was found in Innsbruck, western Austria, following a traveler who lately came from South Africa tested positive for Covid-19, the Tyrol state government said Saturday.
Two cases were confirmed in the UK by Saturday afternoon, two others in Germany and one in Italy. Several more cases are suspected in both the Netherlands and the Czech Republic. The best infectious disease specialist in the United States, Dr. Anthony Fauci, also said: “it was plausible the new variant was already in his country but was yet to be discovered.”
Munich also officials identified the German cases as two passengers from Cape Town who came on November 24. “The individuals have been in private isolation since Nov. 25 following a positive PCR test. Following reports of the new variant, the two individuals had the vision to plan for themselves to be tested for the variant,” authorities said.
However, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention said that the United States doesn’t identify any known case of Omicron.
French government increased its speculation of flights from seven southern African countries on Sunday. The ban was intended to last till midnight on Sunday evening, however, it continued to midnight Tuesday evening.
The director of CDC Fauci said, “I would not be surprised if it is [in the US]. We have not detected it yet, but when you have a virus that is showing this degree of transmissibility and you’re having travel-related cases they’ve noted in other places already when you have a virus like this, it almost invariably is going to go all over.”
According to the WHO, initial proof recommends that the Omicron variant, discovered in South Africa, poses an enhanced risk of reinfection and that some of the mutations detected on this variant are also worrying. However, WHO also emphasized doing more research on the case.
In the United Kingdom, professor Lawrence Young of Warwick Medical School, a virologist and molecular oncologist, said the Omicron variant was “very worrying.” It is the most densely mutated variant of the virus we have observed to date. This variant carries some changes we’ve discussed before in other variants but never all together in one virus. It also has unique mutations.”
However, the scientists have applauded South African health authorities for their fast response to a new mutation. Health specialists are trying to recognize the B.1.1.529 variant by sequencing the samples from those who tested positive.
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