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WHO designates new coronavirus strain as ‘variant of concern’, names it ‘Omicron’

Fears that a new, fast-spreading coronavirus variant could potentially be more dangerous than even the Delta variant prompted several countries to impose restrictions on travel from affected regions, and caused stock markets across the globe to crash.

By evening, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had designated this variant, B.1.1.529, as a “variant of concern (VOC)”, and given it the name Omicron.

The variant, which was announced by scientists in South Africa on Thursday, was detected in two more countries, Israel and Belgium. Botswana and Hong Kong are the other countries where the variant has been found.

The WHO said about 100 genome sequences of the variant have been reported so far. Many of the infected people were fully vaccinated, with at least one person in Israel having also received a third, booster, dose of vaccine.

The scientific analysis till now suggests that the new variant has been spreading at a rate faster than any other variant, including Delta. The fact that several of the infected people were fully vaccinated, including one with a booster dose, is an indication that this variant also has considerable capability to evade the immune response.

This means that this variant is a cause of worry on at least two of the three criteria that are used to assess how dangerous any new variant is. As of now, there is no information on its ability to cause severe disease, the third crucial criteria.

“This variant has a number of mutations, some of which are concerning. Preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant, as compared to other VOCs,” the WHO said in a statement.

“The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all provinces in South Africa… This variant has been detected at faster rates than previous surges in infection, suggesting that this variant may have a growth advantage,” it said.

“Based on the evidence presented indicative of a detrimental change in Covid19 epidemiology…the WHO has designated B.1.1.529 as a VOC, named Omicron,” it said.

The United States announced on Friday afternoon it was joining European countries in closing its borders to eight African countries where the variant has been detected.

The US said it would be restricting travel to South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Malawi and Zimbabwe from Monday.

“President Biden has promised to take every measure necessary to keep Americans safe and defeat the pandemic, and this was a step recommended by U.S. government medical experts and the COVID-19 Response Team,” a White House official said in a statement.

The ban does not apply to American citizens and lawful permanent residents, the official said.

The variant, previously known as B.1.1.529, has been identified in Israel, Hong Kong and Europe.

Belgium confirmed Europe’s first case just hours after South Africa had identified the new variant, and the European Commission has now proposed that all EU member states suspend travel from countries where it has been detected.

The United Kingdom imposed travel restrictions on flights from six countries in southern Africa from midday Friday (7am EST).

“More data is needed but we’re taking precautions now,” UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid wrote on Twitter, adding that flights will be temporarily banned and UK travellers must quarantine.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said it was vital for the continent to act “swiftly, decisively and united”, and called for EU citizens to get vaccinated.

She added: “All air travel to these countries should be suspended until we have a clearer understanding about the danger posed by this new variant.”

Belgium health officials said a case had been detected in a traveller returning from Egypt on 11 November.

In the United States, the White House’s chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci told CNN US public health officials were “rushing” to get data from their counterparts in South Africa to assess whether vaccines are effective against the new strain.

“We want to find out, scientist-to-scientist, exactly what is going on,” said Dr Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Dr Fauci said the variant may already be spreading in the United States.

“Of course anything is possible, we don’t know that. There is no indication that it is right now,” he told CNN.

Scientists in the US were holding emergency meetings with health officials in South Africa on Friday to learn more abut the strain, Dr Fauci said.

The US could reimpose travel bans to affected countries once it learns more about the variant, Dr Fauci said.

The European Stoxx 600 closed down almost 3.7 per cent.

Spain’s IBEX fell by 5.0 per cent, France’s CAC index dropped by 4.75 per cent, Germany’s DAX slipped by 4.15 per cent.

The price of oil also plummeted by 9 per cent, to a new two-month low.

The pathogen is thought to have developed in an immunocompromised person whose immune system was unable to purge itself of the virus, allowing it to mutate time after time before transmission to somebody else.

Dr Eric Feigl-Ding, an epidemiologist and senior fellow at the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), tweeted that the variant has more than double the number of “bad spike mutations” compared with the highly transmissible Delta variant.

New daily Covid cases surged to 50,000 in the UK, the highest one-day tally in more than a month.

In the US, cases are creeping up again to the highest levels since mid-October.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 100,000 new cases on 23 November, and the 7-day average of new cases reached 94,000.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul said the state was on “high alert”.

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