US News COVID-19: the predominant Omicron variant in South Africa, according to WHO

Coronavirus: World Concerns Faced with the new variant deemed "worrying" by WHO

Sant Coronavirus-Variant: Coronavirus: Global concerns against the new variant deemed "worrying" by WHO © Reuters / Denis Balibouse Coronavirus: Global concerns against the new variant judged "worrying" by WHO by Costas Pitas and Stephanie Nebehay London / Geneva (Reuters) - Around the world, the authorities reacted with anxiety Friday after the discovery of a new variant of Coronavirus in South Africa, pushing the European Union and Great Britain, including strengthening border controls, while

© AP - GBEMIGA Olamikan A healthy professional conducts a PCR test in Abuja, Nigeria, November 29, 2021, another country where The Omicron variant was detected.

At a press conference, the World Health Organization (WHO) gave more information on the new Omicron variant that worries the entire planet.

On Wednesday, scientists WHO Africa gave details during an online conference and confirmed that the Omicron variant took the step on the other variants of the Covid-19 , particularly in South Africa.

The Omicron variant is now predominant in South Africa, confirmed the microbiologist Anne von Gottberg. It was present in 75% of sample sequencing in November and is creating a fourth wave of Covid-19 in this country, with 8,000 new cases Tuesday and probably 10,000 EC Wednesday, predicted the scientist.

Variant Omicron: singled out and shunned by Europeans, South Africa feels "punished"

© VALERY HACHE Passengers crowded on Saturday, to leave South Africa airport Johannesburg. AFP / Phill Magakoe The misty look, between frustration and relief, Valerie Leduc left the window from Johannesburg airport sesame pocket: finally a place on a return flight to Belgium, via Addis Ababa in three days. "It seemed to be criminals," says the young woman.

video: coronavirus: a new variant detected in South Africa (Dailymotion)

What is worrying, according to it, is that the Omicron variant has a greater faculty of reinfecting people who have already had the COVID-19. Hope, however, is based on the fact that it would provoke less serious forms, considers scientists, noting that there is no major increase in hospitalizations.

Frontier closures, an "unjust" decision

Vaccination is always encouraged to protect people, especially immunocompromised persons, but also to slow the circulation of the virus that causes all these mutations. These mutations of COVID-19 could be accelerated, according to a hypothesis, among the immunocompromised populations, in particular those affected by AIDS.

Coronavirus: Two passengers from the southern Africa contaminated in Australia by the Omicron Variant

The Ministry invites the 260 passengers and flying crew members to set up isolation © USA Today Network / SIPA USA / SIPA Passengers have traveled since Southern Africa via Doha. Variant - The Ministry invites the 260 passengers and flight crew members to be setup Australian Sanitary authorities announced this Sunday have detected the presence of the coronavirus Omicron variant after testing. Emergency carried out in two passengers from Southern Africa who landed Saturday in Sydney.

At this conference, WHO also denounced the prohibitions of traveling by some Western countries. All stakeholders believe that these measures have no scientific basis and denounce "injustice".

South Africa and Botswana pay a strong price for their efforts and effectiveness to detect the new Omicron variant. WHO scientists therefore consider that these travel prohibitions are counterproductive as they risk deterring the affected countries to declare new variants in the future.

► to read also: Omicron Variant: UN and UA condemn the "segregation" affecting some southern African countries