WHO declared Omicron, first detected in southern Africa, to be a variant of concern.
Geneva:
Whereas PCR checks can detect an infection with Omicron, research wish to whether or not the Covid-19 variant of concern has any impression on different check sorts, the WHO mentioned Sunday.
“The widely-used PCR checks proceed to detect an infection, together with an infection with Omicron, as we now have seen with different variants,” the World Well being Group mentioned in an replace on what is thought thus far in regards to the new variant.
“Research are ongoing to find out whether or not there’s any impression on different sorts of checks, together with fast antigen detection checks.”
The WHO on Friday declared Omicron, first detected earlier this month in southern Africa, to be a variant of concern.
The classification put Omicron into essentially the most troubling class of Covid-19 variants, together with the globally dominant Delta, and its weaker rivals Alpha, Beta and Gamma.
Omicron unfold throughout the globe on Sunday, shutting borders and renewing curbs because the EU chief mentioned governments confronted a “race in opposition to time” to grasp the pressure.
The variant has solid doubt on international efforts to battle the pandemic attributable to fears that it’s extremely infectious, forcing international locations to reimpose measures many had hoped have been a factor of the previous.
In its replace, the WHO mentioned it was “not but clear” whether or not Omicron spreads extra simply from individual to individual, or whether or not an infection with the variant causes extra extreme illness in comparison with different strains.
“There may be at present no info to counsel that signs related to Omicron are totally different from these from different variants,” the UN well being company mentioned.
Whereas preliminary proof suggests there could also be an elevated threat of people that beforehand had Covid being reinfected with Omicron, info is at present restricted.
The WHO mentioned it was working to grasp the potential impression of the variant on present counter-measures, together with vaccines.
As for remedies, the organisation mentioned corticosteroids and IL6 receptor blockers would nonetheless be efficient for managing sufferers with extreme Covid-19 — whereas different remedies could be assessed to see if they’re nonetheless as efficient in opposition to Omicron.
The WHO has mentioned research into varied elements of the brand new variant would take a number of weeks to succeed in conclusions.
“WHO is coordinating with a lot of researchers around the globe to higher perceive Omicron,” it mentioned.
“Extra info will emerge within the coming days and weeks.”
(This story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Discover more from News Journals
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
