WHO = World Health Organization announced on the 26th that it has designated a new mutant virus confirmed in South Africa as a "variant of concern".
WHO = World Health Organization announced on the 26th that it held an urgent meeting of experts and others and designated the new mutant virus confirmed in South Africa as a "variant of concern".
Regarding the reason for the designation, WHO states that the scientific basis currently available indicates that the risk of reinfection is higher than that of other "variant of concern".
The name was "Omicron strain".
On the 25th, South African health officials announced that 77 cases of infection were confirmed in Gauteng, the largest city in Johannesburg, in addition to Botswana, which is adjacent to South Africa, Hong Kong and Israel. It is also found in Belgium.
This time, WHO has designated the new mutant virus confirmed in South Africa as the same "variant of concern" as the currently widespread Delta strain, which will strengthen the global surveillance system.
Bankerkov, WHO's chief technology officer for coronavirus control, said that the Omicron strain "has a number of mutations, some of which have properties of concern," and is infectious and severe. It was clarified that research is being carried out in each country on the risk of infection, the effect on diagnosis and the effect of vaccines.