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An early study of the Omicron variant in South Africa suggests that the risk of serious disease may be lower than with previous coronavirus strains.
The study, which has not yet been reviewed by colleagues, was conducted by the South African National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) and found that people diagnosed with Omicron in South Africa between October 1 and November 30 were 80% less likely to be admitted to hospital than those diagnosed with other variants during the same period.
But the authors noted that some of the findings could be attributed to higher levels of population immunity caused by past vaccinations and infections, and stressed that further research is needed.
It is estimated that 60-70% of South Africans have had a previous coronavirus infection.
“By force, together our data really suggest a positive history of a reduced severity of Omicron compared to other variants,Said NICD Professor Cheryl Cohen.
““What is unclear is whether the picture will be similar in places where there are high levels of vaccination, but very low levels of previous infection.” she added.
The results of a large study published by Imperial College London last week found that there is no indication that Omicron is milder than the Delta variant, although hospital admission data remain very limited and the study has not been peer reviewed.
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