Brazil and Japan report first cases of the omicron variant

Tokyo, Dec. 1 (BUS) : Brazil and Japan joined the rapidly expanding circle of countries to report cases of the omicron variant on Tuesday, while new findings suggest the mutated coronavirus was already in Europe a week before South Africa sounded the alarm.

The Dutch health institute RIVM revealed that patient samples dating from November 19 to 23 were found to contain the variant. On November 24, the South African authorities reported the highly mutated virus to the World Health Organization (WHO).

This indicates that omicron had a greater head start in the Netherlands than previously thought.

Combined with cases in Japan and Brazil, the finding illustrates the difficulty of containing the virus in an era of plane travel and economic globalization. The Associated Press (AP) reported that he once again left the world in disarray between hopes for a return to normal and fears that the worst was yet to come.

Much remains unknown about the new alternative, including whether it is more contagious, as some health authorities suspect, whether it makes people more dangerous, and whether it could thwart a vaccine.

Albert Ko, an infectious disease specialist at the Yale School of Public Health, said the pandemic has repeatedly shown that the virus is “transmitted rapidly because of our globalized and interconnected world.” Until the vaccination campaign reaches every country, “we will be in this situation over and over again.”

Brazil, which has recorded more than 600,000 deaths from COVID-19, reported finding a variant in travelers returning from South Africa – the first known cases of omicron in Latin America. Authorities said the travelers were screened on November 25.

Japan also announced its first case on the same day the country imposed a ban on all foreign visitors. The patient was identified as a Namibian diplomat who had recently arrived from his home country.

Similarly, France recorded its first case in the remote island province of Reunion in the Indian Ocean. Authorities said the patient was a man who had returned to Reunion from South Africa and Mozambique on November 20.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the chief infectious disease expert in the US, said that more will be known about Omicron in the next several weeks, and “we will have a much better picture of what challenges we face.”

Meanwhile, a World Health Organization official warned that given the growing number of omicron cases in South Africa and neighboring Botswana, parts of South Africa could soon see a sharp rise in infections.

“There is a possibility that we will actually see a serious doubling or doubling of the number of cases over time or as the week goes by,” said Dr Nixi Gumed Moelitsi, a regional virologist at the World Health Organization.

Cases began to increase rapidly in mid-November in South Africa, which is now seeing nearly 3,000 new confirmed infections per day.

Before news of Brazil’s cases broke, Fauci said 226 omicron cases had been confirmed in 20 countries, adding, “I think you’d expect to see those numbers change quickly.”

These countries include Britain, 11 countries in the European Union, Australia, Canada and Israel. U.S. disease trackers said Omicron may already be present in the United States as well, and will likely be discovered soon.

“I’m expecting that any day now,” said Scott Baker of the Association of Public Health Laboratories. “We expect him to be here.”

While the variant was first identified by South African researchers, it is unclear where and when it originated, and information that could help shed light on how quickly it has spread.

An announcement from the Netherlands on Tuesday could shape that timeline.

Previously, the Netherlands said it found the alternative among passengers who arrived from South Africa on Friday, the same day the Dutch and other European Union members began imposing flight bans and other restrictions on South Africa. But the newly identified cases precede this.

Dutch public broadcaster Os said that one of the two Omicron samples came from a person who was in South Africa.

Belgium reported the case of a traveler who returned to the country from Egypt on November 11 but did not fall ill with mild symptoms until November 22.

Several health officials have tried to allay fears, insisting that vaccines remain the best defense and that the world should redouble its efforts to get vaccines to every part of the world.

Emir Kok, head of the European Medicines Agency, said the 27-nation European Union was well prepared for the variant and that the vaccine could be adapted for use against Omicron within three or four months if needed.

England has responded to the emerging threat of making face coverings mandatory again on public transport and in shops, banks and hair salons. A month before Christmas, the head of Britain’s Health Security Agency urged people not to mix with others if they did not need to.

After COVID-19 caused the Summer Games to be postponed by one year, Olympic organizers began to worry about the February Winter Games in Beijing. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Omicron “will certainly bring some challenges in terms of prevention and control.”

Global markets swung with every medical news, whether it was worrying or reassuring. Stocks on Wall Street fell on virus fears as well as concerns about the Federal Reserve’s continued efforts to support markets.

Some analysts believe a serious economic downturn could be avoided because so many people have been vaccinated. But they also believe that a return to pre-pandemic levels of economic activity, particularly in tourism, is significantly overdue.

FKN