Omicron Variant: Omicron variant highly transmissible but risk of death is low?

The number of patients with the new omicron variant of the coronavirus is increasing rapidly. According to preliminary data from a large hospital in South Africa's Omicron epicenter, there has been a significant increase in the number of corona infections. However, patients rarely need serious medical help. 
Between November 14 and 29, 166 new patients were admitted to The Steve Biko and Shawnee District Hospital in Pretoria. Of these, 42 patients are still hospitalized. Infectious Diseases doctor Fareed Abdullah at the South African Medical Research Council and Steve Biko Hospital has closely studied the symptoms and their condition. The majority of new patients in the epicenter are generally affected by omicron variants, as confirmed by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases.

According to the report, most of the patients admitted to the Corona ward did not need oxygen as before. A total of 38 patients were admitted on December 2. Of these 38 adults, 6 were vaccinated. Of those, 24 were unvaccinated and 8 were unaccounted for. Only one person was fully vaccinated and given oxygen. However, due to pulmonary disease in the lungs, treatment was required. During these two weeks, only two people were required to be placed in the intensive care unit.

About 19 percent of the patients admitted to the Corona ward were children over 9 years of age. 28% of the patients were between 30 and 39 years of age. No patients have died here in the last two weeks, according to the Corona Ward report. 

“The relatively low number of COVID-19 pneumonia hospitalisation in the general, high care and ICU wards constitutes a very different picture compared to the beginning of previous waves,” said the report . 

As per the report of 166 COVID-19 patients admitted to the hospital between November 14 and November 29, majority of the patients were below the age of 50 and unvaccinated. During this period, 10 deaths (6.6 per cent) were recorded, five of which were adults above the age of 60 and four between the ages of 26 and 26. There was one child that died but for reasons not related to COVID-19. 

A lot will become clear in the next couple of weeks. This is enough time to understand what the future holds.