South Africa announced the identification of a new variant on November 25 (File)
The doctor has warned government scientists about the possibility of a new variant of people infected with ‘Omicron’ in South Africa showing very different symptoms from those with the Delta strain.
Angelique Coetzee, president of the South African Medical Association, said patients with the ‘Omicron’ strain complain of fatigue, headaches and body aches, occasional sore throats and coughs. By comparison, a Delta infection causes a high pulse rate, leading to low oxygen levels and loss of smell and taste, she says.
After weeks with virtually no Covid patients visiting her clinic in Pretoria, the capital and epicenter of the current spike in South Africa, Coetzee said she suddenly began to see patients complaining of symptoms. symptoms on November 18. She immediately notified the government’s Council of Ministers on Covid- 19, and the following week laboratories identified a new variant, she said.
“I was told these different symptoms couldn’t be plain, they were very similar to beta or it had to be a new strain,” she said in an interview on Monday. “I don’t think it’s going to be an outbreak but I think it’s going to be a mild illness. Right now, we’re confident we can handle it.”
South Africa announced the identification of a new variant on 25 November, saying some cases were first identified in neighboring Botswana and then others were followed up in Tshwane, the city area where Pretoria located. The announcement caused a global panic, rattling markets and leading to travel bans for South African countries.
Scientists advising the South African government told a news conference on Monday that although ‘Omicron’ appears to be more contagious, cases appear to be very mild.
Coetzee’s patient was relatively young. A 66-year-old vaccinated patient tested positive on Monday but was only mildly ill, she said.
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