Omicron more infectious, less severe

GARDEN ROUTE | KAROO NEWS - Results of a study by Discovery Health over the three weeks from from 15 November to 7 December confirm that the new Omicron variant is more infectious than previous variants, and the reinfection risk is significantly higher than with prior variants.

Discovery Health CEO Ryan Noach said this week the Omicron-driven fourth wave has a significantly steeper trajectory of new infections relative to previous waves.

However, the research results indicate that the risk of severe disease and hospitalisation is lower with Omicron infection.

Their study has further shown that the Pfizer vaccine may provide 70% protection against hospitalisation due to the new variant (compared with 93% with the delta variant). The study involved about 78 000 Covid-19 test results for Omicron infections among Discovery members.

It revealed that the vaccine has 33% effectiveness against becoming infected with Omicron. Hospitalisation risk due to infection with Omicron was found to be 29% lower compared with the first wave of infection in mid-2020.

Noach said their detailed analysis of vaccine effectiveness, done in collaboration with the SA Medical Research Council, included more than 211 000 Covid-19 test results. SAMRC president Prof Glenda Gray said the results of the analysis were encouraging.

Protection (through vaccination) against hospital admission is maintained across all ages (from 18 to 79), with slightly lower levels of protection for the elderly (67% in people aged 60 to 69 and 60% for people aged 70 to 79).

"Protection against admission is also consistent across a range of chronic illnesses, including diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and other cardiovascular diseases."

The head of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Tedros Ghebreyesus, warned this week that the Omicron Covid-19 variant is spreading at a rate not seen with any previous variant. He said not enough is being done to stop its spread.

"We are concerned that people are dismissing Omicron as mild. Surely we have learned by now that we underestimate this virus at our peril. Even if Omicron causes less severe disease, the sheer number of cases could once again overwhelm unprepared health systems."

The variant has been detected in 77 countries around the world.

Younger citizens affected, hospitalised

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde said in a digicon update yesterday, Wednesday 15 December, that the province is now deep into the fourth wave. Steep increases in cases are being seen with an average of about 2 000 new cases per day.

Younger citizens are now the ones to be affected and they are ending up in hospital. "That shows that our vaccines are working. For those over 60 we are seeing really good numbers." Hospitalisations have increased to an average of 65 per day. Deaths remain below one per day.

Garden Route cases

As at Tuesday 14 December, the Garden Route had 1 777 reported active cases (compared with 95 at the end of November). Data regarding the percentage of cases due to infection by the Omicron variant is not yet available, according to district health spokesperson Nadia Ferreira.

Ferreira said cases are increasing, but hospitalisations remain low.

At the beginning of the week, George Hospital had one patient, Knysna three, Oudtshoorn two and Riversdale Hospital one. Mediclinic George and Geneva manager Kassie Karstens said they have 11 patients of whom one is in the intensive care unit.

"Our patients are not very sick at the moment." He said there has been an increase in the demand for vaccination of learners. The Mediclinic Geneva vaccination centre is closing on Friday 17 December and will reopen on 4 January.

The total number of cases, recoveries and deaths recorded from the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the 14 December Covid-19 report of the Western Cape Department of Health. The active cases are also indicated.