(Deutsche Welle Chinese website) According to a Reuters report, more countries have found cases of Omi Keron’s new crown variant on Sunday (November 28). Currently, confirmed cases have been reported in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Australia. More countries have implemented travel restrictions in order to prevent the Omi Keron variant from spreading in the country, trying to seal themselves off.
The World Health Organization said that it is unclear whether the Omi Keron variant, which was first discovered in southern Africa, is more transmissible than other new coronavirus variants, or whether it will cause more severe symptoms. The WHO said: “Preliminary data indicate that the hospitalization rate in South Africa is increasing, but this may be due to the increase in the total number of infected people, rather than the result of specific infections.”
The WHO says it will take a few days to a few weeks to understand the severity of the Omi Keron variant. Reuters mentioned in the report that after a confirmed case of the Omi Keron variant was detected in South Africa, the world fell into panic again. Governments rushed to implement new travel bans, and the market was also selling off, worrying about Omi. The Croon variant is more resistant to vaccines, and the global economy, which is just about to restart, is once again hit.
The WHO said in its statement that the organization is working with experts to understand the potential impact of the Omi Keron variant on existing COVID-19 response measures, including vaccines. However, the United Kingdom has stated that they will hold an emergency meeting of G7 health ministers on Monday to discuss the progress of the global epidemic.
The Dutch health authorities said that they found 13 confirmed cases of the Omi Keron variant on two flights arriving in Amsterdam from South Africa on the 26th. The Dutch authorities tested all the more than 600 passengers on the two flights and found 61 confirmed cases of the new crown. They also continued to test these people for the Omi Keron variant. Dutch Health Minister Hugo de Jonge told reporters in Rotterdam: “This may be the tip of the iceberg.”
Angelique Coetzee, president of the South African Medical Association, told Reuters that unlike the Delta variant virus, so far, patients infected with the Omikron mutant have no symptoms of loss of smell or taste. The oxygen level has not dropped significantly either.
The Omi Keron mutant strain was called by the WHO as a “variant virus of concern” last week. It may be more contagious than the previous variant viruses. The Omi Keron mutant strain has been found in Australia, Belgium, Botswana, the United Kingdom, There have been confirmed cases in Denmark, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands and South Africa.
A South African doctor was one of the first to suspect the presence of different variants of the virus. He said on Sunday that so far, the confirmed cases of the Omi Keron variant have very mild symptoms and can be treated at home. Angelique Coetzee, president of the South African Medical Association, told Reuters that unlike the Delta variant virus, so far, patients infected with the Omikron mutant have no symptoms of loss of smell or taste. The oxygen level has not dropped significantly either.
Countries impose bans
In order to curb the spread of the Omi Keron mutant strain within the country, Israel announced on Saturday (November 27) that it would prohibit all foreigners from entering the country and re-apply anti-terrorism telephone tracking technology to curb the spread of the Omi Keron mutant strain. It is currently the most stringent method promulgated by all countries in the world. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said the ban will last for 14 days before the government approves it. Israeli officials hope that during this time, there will be more information about whether the vaccine is effective against the Omi Keron variant.
Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that Americans should be prepared to fight the spread of the Omi Keron variant, but it is not clear what measures need to be taken, such as enforcement or lockdown. He said that the Omi Keron variant may have been found in the United States, although there are no confirmed cases.
In the UK, the government has announced a number of measures, including stricter tests on people arriving in the country and requiring masks to be worn on certain occasions. British Health Minister Sajid Javid said that he expects to receive advice soon on whether the government can expand the provision of booster injections to fully vaccinated people. Threat.
South Africa criticizes travel ban
On the same day, more countries announced new travel restrictions on southern African countries, including Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. South Africa condemned these measures as unfair and said they could harm its economy. The South African government stated that they were punished for disclosing relevant information at the early stage of the spread of the Omi Keron mutant.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday that his government is considering compulsory injections of the new crown vaccine in certain areas and people operating in those areas. He criticized the practice of imposing travel bans in wealthy Western countries. Ramaphosa said: “The ban on travel has no scientific basis and will not effectively prevent the spread of the Omi Keron mutant. The only thing the travel ban can do is to further damage the economies of the affected countries and undermine their response to the new crown epidemic. Ability.”
At the time of the emergence of the Omi Keron mutant, many countries in Europe are also fighting the surge in the number of confirmed cases. Some European countries have re-restricted social activities in an attempt to prevent the spread of the virus. The Omi Keron variant has also made people notice the huge differences in vaccination rates around the world. According to medical and human rights organizations, even though many developed countries are undergoing a third booster shot, fewer than 7% of people in poorer countries have received the first dose of the new crown vaccine.
(Reuters, Associated Press)
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