According to the WHO website, as of 9 December 2021, 63 countries and territories around the world have reported cases of infection with the Aumi kerong variant. The epidemic situation in the United Kingdom, South Africa and other countries has become more severe.
On December 12, local time, according to the "Times of Israel" reported that the latest technical briefing of WHO shows that according to preliminary data, the Omikerong variant is more transmissible and can reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine, but the infection symptoms of the case are relatively mild.
However, the briefing also notes that the overall risk of the Omikejong variant remains high. Given that the currently known information is still limited, the relevant risk assessment will be updated from time to time as appropriate.
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What is the new development in the spread of Omi kerong in various countries?
It will become the main popular strain in the UK and has dominated in South Africa
Recently, the epidemic situation in the United Kingdom has been deeply affected by the Aumechjong variant. On December 12, local time, the British Sky News channel website reported that Nazim Zahawi, the head of the UK's new crown vaccine deployment department, said in an interview that the UK has found patients hospitalized due to infection with the Omikejong variant.
On December 9, 2021, local time, in London, England, people wore masks. Figure/IC photo
"The Aumechjong variant is highly contagious, causing the number of confirmed cases of infection with Aomi kerong in the UK to double in 2 or 3 days, so the Aumi kerong variant will soon become the main epidemic strain in the UK and possibly the main epidemic strain in the world." Nazim Zahawi said.
The latest data released by the UK Health Security Agency shows that on December 12, the UK added 1239 cases of infection with Omi kerong, almost double the previous day's 633 cases. Currently, the cumulative number of cases of infection with Omikejong in the UK has risen to 3137.
In view of the rapid increase in confirmed cases of infection with the Aumi kerong variant, the news published on the UK government website said that it is expected that Aomi Kerong will become the main epidemic strain in the UK in mid-December. In response to the increasingly severe epidemic situation, the UK has raised the "covid-19 disease alert level" from level 3 to level 4. The Guardian noted that the decision meant that the NHS was under enormous pressure.
The epidemic situation is also facing the challenge of the Aumechjong mutation in South Africa. South African Presidential Office issued a statement on the evening of December 12 saying that South African President Ramaphosa tested positive for the new crown virus that day, but he is currently mildly symptomd, in good mental condition, and is receiving treatment and self-isolation.
United Press International reported that on December 12, data released by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases of South Africa showed that the number of new confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia in South Africa in a single day was 37,875, setting a record for the highest single-day increase since the outbreak of the epidemic, and the Aumicron variant was dominant.
On December 13, 2021, local time, in South Korea, people were waiting in line for nucleic acid testing. Figure/IC photo
In addition, the US Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC) reported that more than 20 states in the United States have had confirmed cases of the Aumi kerong variant, and the US capital Washington reported 4 confirmed cases of the Aumi kerong variant for the first time on the 12th. South Korean health authorities also said that the number of confirmed cases of the Omikejong variant in the country is on the rise, and as of December 11, the cumulative number of confirmed cases of the Omikejong variant has reached 90. In Denmark, according to the Russian Satellite News Agency reported on December 13, the Danish National Serum Institute released a report on the 12th that more than 200 new crown vaccine-enhanced needle vaccinators in Denmark were infected with the Omikerong variant.
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What are the new findings in the study of the properties of Omikeron?
Booster needles can provide protection for people with mild illness in Aumechjon
In its latest technical briefing, WHO said the overall threat posed by Omiqueron depends largely on three key factors: the ability to transmit, immune evasion of vaccines and previous infections, and pathogenicity compared to other variants.
WHO technical briefing on Omikejong. Photo/Screenshot of the WHO website
WHO says there is currently limited evidence that Aomi kerong appears to be more contagious than Delta. The number of Cases of Themi kerong increases rapidly in South Africa, where there are fewer cases of infection with the Delta variant, but in countries with a higher incidence of Delta, such as the United Kingdom, the Omiljung strain also appears to spread faster than the Delta strain. It is possible for Aomi Kerong to replace Delta, which has spread in the community.
Regarding the clinical severity of Omilon, WHO said data remain limited. Although preliminary findings in South Africa suggest that the symptoms caused by Amiqueron may not be as severe as those of Delta, and that the cases currently reported in Europe are essentially mild or asymptomatic, these data are still insufficient to account for the clinical severity of the variant.
WHO also notes that the Opichron variant may weaken the effectiveness of existing vaccines, while the diagnostic accuracy of routinely used PCR and antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDT) does not appear to be affected.
However, a study by the UK's Health Security Agency found that although the vaccine has reduced the effectiveness of the vaccine, the vaccine booster can provide protection for people with mild illness in TheOmilon. On December 12, Euronnext reported that "70 to 75 percent of the protection against mildly infected people with the Aumi kerong variant has been strengthened." ”
However, WHO says the overall risk of the Omilon variant remains high given its stronger transmission capacity and potential for immune escape.
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What are the new predictions of the direction of the Omiljung spread?
In the future, Aumechjong may have three transmission scenarios
On December 12, Zhang Wenhong, director of the Department of Infectious Diseases of Huashan Hospital affiliated to Fudan University, shared his views online at the life science sub-forum of the 2021 Greater Bay Area Science Forum.
"We can envision several future scenarios of Omicron transmission: the best case scenario is that it is less virulent and spreads only in South Africa. It is acceptable that it is strongly transmitted and virulent, but the vaccine enhancement is effective against it. The most serious situation is that it is strongly transmitted, more virulent, and the vaccine is strengthened to target it ineffectively. Then we need to re-examine the vaccine strategy and tighten prevention and control. Zhang Wenhong said.
At the 2021 Greater Bay Area Science Forum Life Sciences sub-forum held on December 11, Zhong Nanshan, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said, "The research on Omicron is still continuing." ”
Zhong Nanshan said that many countries have noticed this problem very early, found more than a dozen cases to take measures, and some countries have adopted relatively strict control measures, through a year or two years, the world slowly realized that China's approach is right. However, at present, there is not much understanding of this virus, which requires multidisciplinary and various countries to work together to continue research.
Reporter | Vermilion red
Edit | Zhang