Omicron Virus: Causes, Symptoms, Complications, And Treatment

Omicron, a newly discovered coronavirus variant, has altogether changed the fight against the ongoing pandemic situation. The variant is said to be deadlier than its predecessor variants. Its rapid transmissible nature is making the world anxious. The Omicron Covid-19 variant has recently been tagged as 'a variant of concern' by the World Health Organization. Reason? The high risk of reinfection.

The variant has spurred fears in the minds of people about its global spread. As a result, several countries have banned international flights to curb the spread of Omicron.

Several kinds of research have been going on in almost every part of the world to better understand the Omicron. The virus has already shaken the world. According to the WHO, some researchers are underway to find out the actual nature, transmissibility, diagnostic tests, impact on humankind, the effectiveness of vaccines, and severity of this concerning variant.

WHO has warned about the increased risk of reinfection with Omicron. It clearly states that people who have earlier contracted the virus are more likely to get reinfected with Omicron.

Considering this, WHO has appealed to the world to adopt public safety measures so that together we can stop the spread of Covid variants. This also includes vaccinating a large number of people against the virus.

For all those people who are still unaware of the newly discovered variant, the B.1.1.529 variant was initially found in South Africa on November 24, 2021.

Early data suggests Omicron is spreading in South Africa at a very fast pace as compared to the previous variants. B.1.1.529, could anytime trigger a new wave of infection in the world, if not controlled.

There are five variants of concern (VOC) and eight variants of interest (VOI) identified by the WHO. Since May 2021, these variants have been named after greek alphabets starting from alpha.

It is still not clear what is the severity of this variant or whether it is capable of causing severe disease or not. Researches are underway in order to examine the virus completely.

Answering this question is really tough as this variant has been discovered recently. Though it is considered to be mild, the actual nature of the variant is yet to be studied. Some symptoms of this variant are just like Covid and Delta Variant. These symptoms include:

• Loss of taste or smell
• Chest Pain
• Confusion
• Fever
• Breathing issues
• Cough
• Tiredness

Apart from the above symptoms, the variant also carries other symptoms of unusual nature.

Maybe the rapid mutations are the reason behind this. At present, no such unusual combination has been seen in other variants of interest and variants of concern. That’s why scientists are worried about this not-so-usual variant.

Some of the mutations associated with the Omicron Covid virus have never been reported so far. So it is quite tough to say how would the mutations of the Omicron interact with the other ones. It’s one of the most complex variants ever seen before.

According to the WHO, the following ways can prevent the Omicron Covid virus from getting spread:

• Avoid social gatherings.
• Wear tight mask.
• Keep your hands sanitized.
• Get vaccinated.
• Keep surroundings hygienic.
• Self-isolate yourself if you experience any symptom.

As many as 32 mutations of the Omnicron Covid virus have been detected in South Africa. The transmissibility rate of the Omicron variant is comparatively higher than the Delta variant. The severity of the virus is still a question to be answered. Scientists are concerned that almost 90% of new Covid cases in Gauteng may be associated with B.1.1.529.

As compared to the other variants, the risk of Omicron is ‘very high’. The virus has the capability to mutate at a faster rate. Though it is not clear yet, there are some unusual combinations detected in the mutation process of the strain. It is a signal of worry. Previously Delta strain was dominant in the world since October 2020. Now, with the arrival of Omicron, the situation has aggravated.

According to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) of South Africa, no different symptoms have been reported so far. However, some people are asymptomatic just like the Delta variant.

Till now, no treatment is available against B.1.1.529. Researches are going on since the variant has been discovered. It will take around 2-3 weeks to better understand the variant. Some symptoms associated with its predecessor can be treated by the current vaccines. But, again the efficacy of the vaccines against the Omicron virus is yet to be studied.

Summary: When the world was busy fighting with the Delta strain of the Covid virus, news of the Omicron variant (a variant of concern) has shocked the world with its arrival. Omicron has emerged as the deadliest and risky strain of SARS-COV-2. Previously Delta strain was dominant in the world since October 2020. Now, with the arrival of Omicron, the situation has aggravated.