A new coronavirus variant 'Omicron' has been found in South Africa. This has sparked concern all over the world. Omicron is known to spread very quickly. The World Health Organization has listed Omicron as a ‘variant of concern’ and said it could take several weeks to know about its transmissibility, severity or implications for Covid vaccines, tests, and treatments. The reason for the Omicron is because South Africa has hardly vaccinated any of its citizens and the coronavirus spread a lot there. Several countries have also banned travellers from South Africa and its neighbouring nations because of the threat of Omicron. However still it has now popped up in several other countries, leaving governments around the world scrambling to stop the transmission.The Omicron cases have been reported in Australia,  Italy, Germany, The Netherlands, Britain, Israel, Hong Kong, Botswana, Belgium, Switzerland and Canada.  

A man who had recently returned from South Africa has tested positive for the coronavirus after arriving in Chandigarh. One of his family members and a domestic help have also tested positive for COVID-19. Researchers in South Africa and around the world are conducting studies to better understand many aspects of Omicron. 

Here is what is know about the Omicron variant:

Patients infected with this strain show extreme tiredness. This is not limited to any age group. Young patients also show extreme tiredness. 

Patients have flu-like symptoms, including dry coughs, fever, night sweats, and a lot of body pains. 

Only a few patients have reported a slightly high temperature. 

There is no major drop in oxygen saturation levels. 

Patients infected with Omicron strain have not reported loss of taste or smell. Patients of the Omicron variant have, however, complained of "scratchy throat".

Most patients of Omicron strain have recovered without hospitalisation

Tags

• South
• Africa
• Omicron
• WHO
• new
• covid
• variant

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