The media fanned the smoke without fire: it turned out that omicron is less dangerous than other strains of coronavirus

South Africa is experiencing another wave of COVID-19 infection due to a new omicron strain. Scientists immediately began researching it and came to the conclusion that this form of coronavirus, in case of illness, leads to less serious consequences. More told Voice of America.

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Physician from Pretoria, South Africa, Steve Baiko, and representatives from Tswane District Hospital monitored 42 patients who were admitted to the hospital last month with confirmed COVID-19.

They found that 29 of them did not need ventilation, and 4 out of 13 who needed oxygen supply had other indications not related to COVID-19.

Doctor Farid Abdullah, director of the HIV / AIDS and Tuberculosis Research Office at the South African Medical Research Council, said that for the 166 coronavirus patients who were admitted to hospital between November 14 and 29, the average hospital stay was 2,8 days from almost 7% mortality rate.

On the subject: The omicron is not as scary as it is painted: why you shouldn't panic because of a new strain of coronavirus

However, the previous average over the past 18 months was 8,5 days in hospital and 17% mortality.

The report states that 80% of these 166 patients were over 50, while the average age of patients during the previous waves was higher. The researchers believe this is due to the high vaccination rate among the population over 50.

But doctor Abdullah warned that this study has not yet been reviewed by medical colleagues and, in general, the number of people infected with the new strain is unknown.

South Africa's National Institute for Infectious Diseases reports that the number of detected omicron cases has exceeded 16, up from 2300 in just one week. Institute experts speak of an "unprecedented" level of infection rates.

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Ian Sunny, COVID-19 Adviser to the President of the Republic of South Africa, advised local hospitals to prepare for a "significant increase" in patient numbers in the coming weeks and months, and to stock up on oxygen and ventilators.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classified France and several other European states, as well as several African countries, as countries with "High risk" for travelers due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, Americans are urged to avoid traveling to 78 countries around the world or to make sure they are fully vaccinated before traveling.

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