New Coronavirus Variant (Omicron; B.1.1529) a ‘Serious Concern’ in South Africa
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Omicron Triggers ‘Unprecedented’ COVID Surge Hitting Children Under Age 5 in South Africa
In a worrying virtual press conference, government adviser Waasila Jassat, speaking about the worst-affected area of Gauteng province (which includes the city of Johannesburg), said: “It’s clear in Gauteng, the week-on-week increase we’re seeing in cases and admissions is higher than we’ve seen it before. We’ve seen quite a sharp increase [in hospital admissions] across all age groups but particularly in the under 5s.”
She added: “The incidence in those under 5 is now second highest, second only to those over 60. The trend that we’re seeing now, that is different to what we’ve seen before, is a particular increase in hospital admissions in children under 5 years.
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Very concerning.
In a worrying virtual press conference, government adviser Waasila Jassat, speaking about the worst-affected area of Gauteng province (which includes the city of Johannesburg), said: “It’s clear in Gauteng, the week-on-week increase we’re seeing in cases and admissions is higher than we’ve seen it before. We’ve seen quite a sharp increase [in hospital admissions] across all age groups but particularly in the under 5s.”
She added: “The incidence in those under 5 is now second highest, second only to those over 60. The trend that we’re seeing now, that is different to what we’ve seen before, is a particular increase in hospital admissions in children under 5 years.
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Very concerning.
Omicron variant may have picked up a piece of common-cold virus
Cells in the lungs and in the gastrointestinal system can harbor SARS-CoV-2 and common-cold coronaviruses simultaneously, according to earlier studies. Such co-infection sets the scene for viral recombination, a process in which two different viruses in the same host cell interact while making copies of themselves, generating new copies that have some genetic material from both "parents."
This new mutation could have first occurred in a person infected with both pathogens when a version of SARS-CoV-2 picked up the genetic sequence from the other virus, Soundararajan and colleagues said in the study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed.
The same genetic sequence appears many times in one of the coronaviruses that causes colds in people - known as HCoV-229E - and in the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS, Soundararajan said.
South Africa, where Omicron was first identified, has the world's highest rate of HIV, which weakens the immune system and increases a person's vulnerability to infections with common-cold viruses and other pathogens. In that part of the world, there are many people in whom the recombination that added this ubiquitous set of genes to Omicron might have occurred, Soundararajan said.
"We probably missed many generations of recombinations" that occurred over time and that led to the emergence of Omicron, Soundararajan added.
Cells in the lungs and in the gastrointestinal system can harbor SARS-CoV-2 and common-cold coronaviruses simultaneously, according to earlier studies. Such co-infection sets the scene for viral recombination, a process in which two different viruses in the same host cell interact while making copies of themselves, generating new copies that have some genetic material from both "parents."
This new mutation could have first occurred in a person infected with both pathogens when a version of SARS-CoV-2 picked up the genetic sequence from the other virus, Soundararajan and colleagues said in the study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed.
The same genetic sequence appears many times in one of the coronaviruses that causes colds in people - known as HCoV-229E - and in the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS, Soundararajan said.
South Africa, where Omicron was first identified, has the world's highest rate of HIV, which weakens the immune system and increases a person's vulnerability to infections with common-cold viruses and other pathogens. In that part of the world, there are many people in whom the recombination that added this ubiquitous set of genes to Omicron might have occurred, Soundararajan said.
"We probably missed many generations of recombinations" that occurred over time and that led to the emergence of Omicron, Soundararajan added.
Five in Alameda County, all vaccinated, returning from wedding in Wisconsin.
Some boosted too... That's concerning. Let's hope it stays at mild symptoms
Let's hope the under 5 hospitalized trend in South Africa doesn't hold in North America.
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Sad state of affairs if dead African kids is what scares redhats into getting immunized.
The obvious has not been discussed or at least I haven't seen any discussion online at any health agency website...
The difference between the infections in South Africa versus the United States / Canada ?
Answer: To travel internationally, you must be vaccinated. Therefore, those returning back to the United States or Canada...the few that are infected...
In theory, it should be 100%, vaccinated individuals..a duh moment. In addition, this would imply a "wane in immunity" although the infection is only producing mild symptoms.
Yet, if the illness is too mild...people will be less inclined to get tested for Covid and that in itself will encourage more spread. That's actually not a bad thing if Omicron is very transmissible but less pathogenic (doesn't cause death or hospitalization).
wrbtrader
The difference between the infections in South Africa versus the United States / Canada ?
Answer: To travel internationally, you must be vaccinated. Therefore, those returning back to the United States or Canada...the few that are infected...
In theory, it should be 100%, vaccinated individuals..a duh moment. In addition, this would imply a "wane in immunity" although the infection is only producing mild symptoms.
- This is one of those details I mentioned earlier that may not be discussed publicly by the public health agency even though they have the data. Simply, they know when these infected travelers were vaccinated.
Yet, if the illness is too mild...people will be less inclined to get tested for Covid and that in itself will encourage more spread. That's actually not a bad thing if Omicron is very transmissible but less pathogenic (doesn't cause death or hospitalization).
- If the latter happens...then what in the hell is happening in Africa for those people to be hospitalized and dying from Omicron...poor healthcare ???
wrbtrader
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The obvious has not been discussed or at least I haven't seen any discussion online at any health agency website...
The difference between the infections in South Africa versus the United States / Canada ?
Answer: To travel internationally, you must be vaccinated. Therefore, those returning back to the United States or Canada...the few that are infected...
In theory, it should be 100%, vaccinated individuals..a duh moment. In addition, this would imply a "wane in immunity" although the infection is only producing mild symptoms.
The key now is to study the community spread in the not vaccinated population considering they were not able to travel to Africa because they did not qualify for travel due to their unvaccinated status.
- This is one of those details I mentioned earlier that may not be discussed publicly by the public health agency even though they have the data. Simply, they know when these infected travelers were vaccinated.
Yet, if the illness is too mild...people will be less inclined to get tested for Covid and that in itself will encourage more spread. That's actually not a bad thing if Omicron is very transmissible but less pathogenic (doesn't cause death or hospitalization).
Hopefully, this is not the fate for North America...our children will be the most impacted.
- If the latter happens...then what in the hell is happening in Africa for those people to be hospitalized and dying from Omicron...poor healthcare ???
wrbtrader
Most of the cases reported in the US so far are secondary infections, not the actual international traveler, and fully vaccinated.