Serious concern’ as South Africa detects new coronavirus variant--Omicron

[Scott]

Serious concern’ as South Africa detects new coronavirus variant

South African scientists have detected a new COVID-19 variant in small numbers and are working to understand its potential implications.

 

The variant – called B.1.1.529 – has a “very unusual constellation” of mutations, which are concerning because they could help it evade the body’s immune response and make it more transmissible, scientists told reporters at a news conference on Thursday.

 

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said 22 positive cases of the new variant have been recorded in the country following genomic sequencing.

 

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/25/s-africa-detects-new-covid-19-variant-implications-not-yet-clear

[RJRS1301]

This is of concern for all, the ongoing mutations will continue into the foreseeable future.

Not sue how much the booster shots will ameriorate the infection rates from this one, fingers crossed.

This cancels out any future plans for sarafri trips for me.

 

[anchadian]

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the new variant identified in South Africa "may be more transmissible" than the Delta strain and added "the vaccines that we currently have may be less effective"

 

https://twitter.com/SkyNewsBreak/status/1463976521710903296

 

[Scott]

41 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

This is of concern for all, the ongoing mutations will continue into the foreseeable future.

Not sue how much the booster shots will ameriorate the infection rates from this one, fingers crossed.

This cancels out any future plans for sarafri trips for me.

 

The mutation has been found in Botswana as well, so yes, put that Safari on hold for now.  What is of a little more concern is that it has been found in Hong Kong.  That's a little too close to home for comfort.  

 

These variants sometimes have to sort of fight it out.   Delta has won out so far.  

 

[Bkk Brian]

A huge cause for concern, already out competing Delta in South Africa although numbers are still small it looks like the start of another wave. Its poses a significant threat to vaccine programs.

 

Nu (Ν,ν) will be the @WHO name/Greek letter for the new variant. Better than B.1.1.529. That's about the only good thing you can say about it right now.

 

 

[TorquayFan]

RJRS - IMO if this variant evades existing vaccine protection, the booster won' t help - but important to take the booster anyway.

 

ALL - here's a great report about the new variant including comment about the way that viruses sometimes exhaust themselves in due course . . . . .

 

BTW the UK has already banned flights from RSA and 5 other Nations :-

""New COVID variant ‘may sidestep vaccine protection’

Phil Taylor

November 25, 2021

 

A new variant of COVID-19 identified in Botswana with dozens of mutations is being watched closely, amid fears it could be resistant to the effect of currently-used vaccines. The B.1.1.529 variant has more mutations affecting the spike protein targeted by vaccines than any other strain identified to date, although it’s not yet clear if it is more or less transmissible. There have only been a few confirmed cases so far, including three in Botswana, six in South Africa where surveillance is more robust, and one in Hong Kong in an individual who travelled from South Africa before being tested.

 

The mutations in the spike protein has been described as “really awful” by Tom Peacock, a virologist at Imperial College’s department of infectious disease, in a tweet.

 

https://pharmaphorum.com/news/new-covid-variant-may-sidestep-vaccine-protection/?

[Bkk Brian]

This is coinciding with a wider rise in cases in South Africa. Again, currently we’re talking about small numbers (both of B.1.1.529 and of cases in SA overall), but there’s a clear upward trend. This may be a blip, but this is how waves start.

https://twitter.com/jburnmurdoch/status/1463956690743742470

 

[TorquayFan]

Brian - thanks that's a very small blip but of course, a big blip starts somewhere.

 

A small UK Biotech, Scancell in Nottingham and Oxford, have a Ph1 trial under way in RSA. Scancell specialise in cancer vaccines but from their Immunobody platform they have developed 'Covidity', a DNA vaccine which addresses the nucleosid and the spike, allowing it in theory to attack a much wider range of variants. In fact CEPI in April published an article on the search for a 'Universal Vaccine' and Scancell was the only project mentioned.

 

Here's some links to see more . . . . https://www.scancell.co.uk/Data/Sites/1/media/docspres/agm-presentation-2021.pdf

 

 

 

and

 

[Danderman123]

This is the prime reason to get everyone immunized - to reduce the potential for more variants. Every infected person is a laboratory for viral mutations. So, reducing infections reduces the potential for new mutations.

[TorquayFan]

D123 - "This is the prime reason to get everyone immunized" - yes of course, but it isn't going to happen. Mandatory vaccination just won't stick - watch Austria.

 

Yes it's important to minimise the amount of infection in EVERY way possible to restrict mutations - border control, masks, vaccines, social distance etc. etc.

 

We need better vaccines - one certain step is to address the nucleosid which mutates very slowly if at all, in contrast to the spike . . . .

 

 

[userabcd]

Does this mean a new modified vaccine to be designed and a new round of worldwide double dose jabs for everybody?

[TorquayFan]

abcd - well yes - if a better vaccine is found, there'll be quite a queue ! If it's Scancell's 'Covidity', that'd be nice as it's from the UK AND - the 'Pharmajet' system used to administer it, is NEEDLELESS !!

 

Lovely. ATB

[brewsterbudgen]

Isn't this what viruses do? It's inevitable that there will be new strains in the future.  Hopefully governments have learned that overreacting isn't going to help.

[RafPinto]

Hope Thailand did learn something from last year, when they still kept the doors open for their friends.

This new variant already in Hong Kong

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10229159/South-Africa-new-red-travel-list-early-TOMORROW-fears-mutant-strain.html

[champers]

UK has banned flights from 6 countries in Southern Africa, BBC World Service radio reporting today.

Hasn't the SA Rugby Union team  been in the UK just recently?

[Bkk Brian]

This new variant B.1.1.529 is spreading fast, after all the missteps governments and WHO had over the last 19 months I hope they've learnt that this needs to be taken with the upmost importance with all measures thrown at it to stop another worldwide wave of a variant that has serious immune evasion capabilities and would lead to a horrendous death toll.

 

From the Director of Epidemic Response South Africa:

 

This new variant is really worrisome at the mutational level. South Africa and Africa will need support (financially, public health, scientific) to control it so it does not spread in the world. Our poor and deprived population can not be in lockdown without financial support.

 

This new variant, B.1.1.529 seems to spread very quick! In less than 2 weeks now dominates all infections following a devastating Delta wave in South Africa (Blue new variant, now at 75% of last genomes and soon to reach 100%)

 

Because this variant (B.1.1.529) can be detected by a normal qPCR due to deletion at Spike position 69-70 (like Alpha), it will make it easy for the world to track it. We estimate that 90% of the cases in Gauteng (at least 1000 a day are this variant, due to qPCR proxy testing)

 

[MrJ2U]

It's as if this is going to last a lot longer than expected.

 

People who were vaccinated over 6 months ago, roughly 60% should be getting there booster shots or avoid crowds altogether.

 

 

[MrJ2U]

3 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

This new variant B.1.1.529 is spreading fast, after all the missteps governments and WHO had over the last 19 months I hope they've learnt that this needs to be taken with the upmost importance with all measures thrown at it to stop another worldwide wave of a variant that has serious immune evasion capabilities and would lead to a horrendous death toll.

 

From the Director of Epidemic Response South Africa:

 

This new variant is really worrisome at the mutational level. South Africa and Africa will need support (financially, public health, scientific) to control it so it does not spread in the world. Our poor and deprived population can not be in lockdown without financial support.

 

This new variant, B.1.1.529 seems to spread very quick! In less than 2 weeks now dominates all infections following a devastating Delta wave in South Africa (Blue new variant, now at 75% of last genomes and soon to reach 100%)

 

Because this variant (B.1.1.529) can be detected by a normal qPCR due to deletion at Spike position 69-70 (like Alpha), it will make it easy for the world to track it. We estimate that 90% of the cases in Gauteng (at least 1000 a day are this variant, due to qPCR proxy testing)

 

Its to late I think.

 

If you're planning a domestic holiday best to do it now before another lockdown.

 

.....And definitely get vaccinated.

[ExpatOilWorker]

The China virus that just keep giving.

[Danderman123]

Hopefully, this new variant is less deadly. 

[Bkk Brian]

Breaking, one case and possibly another 2 found in Israel:

 

COVID-19: South African variant of concern discovered in Israel

The variant was discovered in an individual who returned to Israel from Malawi. Two other cases are being investigated.

https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/south-african-variant-of-concern-discovered-in-israel-687074

 

BREAKING: Germany declares South Africa a country with a COVID variant of concern

 

BREAKING: EU proposes ban on air travel from southern Africa due to new coronavirus variant

 

BREAKING: Italy closes border to people who have recently been in South Africa and 6 other countries due to new coronavirus variant

 

BREAKING: Austria closes border to people who have recently been in South Africa and 6 other countries due to new coronavirus variant

[rabas]

Here's finer detail from South African authorities and scientists in today's (Nov 25) video conference uploaded to Youtube. You may want to skip the first 10 minutes setting up the conference.

 

South Africa's speed and openness are highly commendable. This is the way it should be.

 

 

[GrandPapillon]

even if 100% of population is fully vaccinated, there will be variants, since it keeps spreading and reacting with each human body

[UKPaul67]

I have a terrible feeling my holiday in 15 days time is about to be ruined , no one has yet any clear information or data to say it's bad or not, yet countries like my own are blocking others, and we for sure with several flights landing per day will have it, followed by telling the world we have it and getting blocked ourselves.

[n00dle]

11 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

It's as if this is going to last a lot longer than expected.

 

People who were vaccinated over 6 months ago, roughly 60% should be getting there booster shots or avoid crowds altogether.

 

 

Who expected?

 

This isnt going to "go away" like the common cold or herpes doesnt go away.

 

Learning how to mitigate the damage and costs (to society) is all we have. 

[sezze]

2 hours ago, n00dle said:

Who expected?

 

This isnt going to "go away" like the common cold or herpes doesnt go away.

 

Learning how to mitigate the damage and costs (to society) is all we have. 

That is why the vaccinations come in place . At least you can see if there is a sudden spike of seriously ill that a new variant is raising his ugly head . This is not going away , way to far spread in all layers of population worldwide . I think it will be like flu 2.0 soon including the vaccination . All with seasons , and vaccines will include a few variants , so hopefully it keeps it all under control .

[RJRS1301]

7 hours ago, GrandPapillon said:

even if 100% of population is fully vaccinated, there will be variants, since it keeps spreading and reacting with each human body

All of Africa is a  vaccine poor country , 

[cyril sneer]

We’re all doomed

[Bkk Brian]

14 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

All of Africa is a  vaccine poor country , 

True and for SA that was certainly a factor previously but now it seems to be a bit more complex:

 

South Africa’s vaccine headache switches from supply to demand

 

Vaccine hesitancy or outright opposition has been a barrier to ending the coronavirus pandemic all over the world, though may be a particular problem in South Africa.

A survey found last month that about 54% of nationals say they are unlikely to get a Covid-19 vaccine and almost half say they believe prayer provides more protection than the shots.

One issue of concern in South Africa is a particular reluctance to be vaccinated among men, Crisp said. Almost 60% of those to have received a dose to date have been women.

 

https://businesstech.co.za/news/trending/512982/south-africas-vaccine-headache-switches-from-supply-to-demand/amp/

[MrJ2U]

9 hours ago, n00dle said:

Who expected?

 

This isnt going to "go away" like the common cold or herpes doesnt go away.

 

Learning how to mitigate the damage and costs (to society) is all we have. 

Ordering enough vaccines for your population is an idea that escapes Anutin.