Despite the initial reassurances regarding the new variant of COVID-19, which has made the world alert again after a period of relaxation in restrictions, many questions remain about this strain. In this context, Dr. Angelique Coetzee, president of the South African Medical Association, stated that Omicron is completely different from Delta. She confirmed that those infected with the recently emerged variant in Africa, before it spread to several countries, did not experience loss of taste or smell, nor did they feel shortness of breath or need additional oxygen.
Similar to Influenza
Doctors also did not notice an increase in heart rate, which was previously observed in Delta patients. Additionally, she noted that its symptoms are similar to a cold or flu, as patients suffer from headache, body aches, and mild sore throat, without severe coughing, runny nose, or congestion, as seen in upper respiratory infections.
The World Health Organization announced two days ago that preliminary evidence suggests the Omicron variant may spread faster than Delta, but it causes less severe symptoms. However, it emphasized that it is too early to draw definitive conclusions in this regard. Maria van Kerkhove, head of the WHO's COVID-19 Technical Team, warned that it is premature to determine the severity of the disease caused by the new variant, stating that only anecdotal information is available currently. She stated, "We certainly have information from South Africa indicating that many patients who were identified as having the Omicron variant exhibit moderate symptoms of the illness."
This announcement came amid growing concerns about Omicron, which first appeared in South Africa last month (November), prompting some countries to close their borders to travelers from several African nations.
