Optimistic messages for its evolution Omicron variant, due to which the world community has been in a whirlwind lately, emerge from a new study carried out in South Africa, the focus of its new - highly contagious - strain coronavirus.
Despite the fact that "Omicron" is said to cause mild symptoms, it does not stop burdening the Health Systems and is responsible for the rapid rise of infections.
The official number of cases Covid-19, which is definitely lower than the real one, exceeded the limit of 300 million on Friday, while the countries are trying to fight the spread of "Omicron" and to escalate the vaccination campaigns.
According to the research, the acute phase of the pandemic may end very soon.
What the study showed
As he says Bloomberg, the current pandemic wave due to Omicron moved at an "unprecedented rate", but caused much milder morbidity than previous strains, according to a study in patients infected with Covid-19 in a large hospital in South Africa.
«If this pattern continues and makes the rounds of the world, it is possible to see complete decoupling of incidence and death ratesSaid the researchers. This suggests that "Omicron may be harbinger of the end of the epidemic phase of the pandemic, inaugurating its endemic phase ".
The study at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital Complex in Pretoria analyzed records of 466 patients from the current wave and 3.976 from previous waves of the virus.
As South Africa has a relatively "young" population compared to other parts of the world and the "lack" of older, more vulnerable people could obscure the "potential" of the new variant, researchers cite data from other countries as well. planet, expressing the view that Omicron generally causes less serious disease than previous mutant strains.
Fewer deaths
"Although Omicron is quite contagious, the number of hospitalizations was lower than in previous waves," the researchers said, noting that weekly deaths were close to a fifth of the record during the pandemic.
If other countries have similar data, this may help make the coronavirus endemic, where widespread exposure gives more people immunity.
However, there is always the scenario of a new mutation occurring, which may cause more serious disease and make it easier to avoid antibodies produced by previous infections or vaccinations.
The study showed that only 4,5% of patients with Covid-19 died during their hospital stay on the current wave compared to an average of 21% on previous waves. Fewer people were admitted to intensive care units and the length of hospital stay was "significantly shorter".
Asymptomatic disease
At the same time, according to the survey, the rate of imports increased rapidly, but began to decline within 33 days of the first recording. A "picture" on December 14 and 15 showed that almost two-thirds of those infected had Covid-19 had been hospitalized for other reasons.
"This phenomenon has not been observed to such an extent in the past at Steve Biko Hospital or anywhere in South Africa," the study said, noting that it "probably reflects high levels of asymptomatic disease in the community with Omicron infection."
According to the study:
- The average length of stay in the hospital was 4 days, compared to 8,8 in the previous waves
- The mean age of the subjects admitted was 39 years, instead of 50 in the previous waves
- Admissions to intensive care units decreased in 1% of patients from 4,3%
- Imports peaked at 108, compared with 213 during the Delta wave
- There was a lower rate of admission per case, a lower mortality rate and lower rates of admission to ICUs compared to previous waves.