Thai virologist says Omicron may account for 30% of new COVID-19 cases

[webfact]

Photo by Mladen ANTONOV / AFP

 

Professor Dr. Yong Poovorawan, head of the Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology at the Faculty Medicine of Chulalongkorn University, said today (Saturday) that he believes Omicron variant cases are being under-reported in every country, including Thailand, noting that the actual numbers may represent 30% of new COVID-19 infections in Thailand.

 

In his Facebook post today, he said that RT-PCR tests in Thailand do not examine the S gene in the virus, which means that they cannot detect the presence of the Omicron variant.

 

He said that reports of about 3,000 confirmed Omicron cases in Thailand do not reflect the real situation, as many cases were not tested using the required techniques.

 

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Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thai-virologist-says-omicron-may-account-for-30-of-new-covid-19-cases/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-01-09

 

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[arithai12]

That only goes to show that, as we already know, the Omicron has mostly very mild effects at least on vaccinated people (25:1 in ICU ratio between fully vaccinated and non). So can we please tone down the hype and carry on living?

[Bkk Brian]

14 minutes ago, webfact said:

Omicron cases in Thailand do not reflect the real situation, as many cases were not tested using the required techniques.

Even more were not tested at all due to Thailand's pathetic testing numbers

[ozimoron]

2 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Even more were not tested at all due to Thailand's pathetic testing numbers

Some Australian authority said today that he believes there are 5 times as many cases as are reported. It's impossible to buy ATK tests right now and the PCR test takes hours to get and days for a result. I don't think bashing Thailand for poor testing number serves much purpose. I believe the same poor testing numbers also afflicts the UK and the US.

[Bkk Brian]

4 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

Some Australian authority said today that he believes there are 5 times as many cases as are reported. It's impossible to buy ATK tests right now and the PCR test takes hours to get and days for a result. I don't think bashing Thailand for poor testing number serves much purpose. I believe the same poor testing numbers also afflicts the UK and the US.

I'm not bashing Thailand, I'm stating facts, testing here is abysmal and always has been.

https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus-testing

[bkk6060]

I have a friend in really bad shape he cannot get out of bed his throat is so sore he cannot even talk.

So, 70% are still Delta anyone who lets down their guard now is an idiot.  

[mrfill]

Just wondering. The UK reports over 90% of new cases are Omicron. These are determined by PCR testing and subsequent genomic analysis. If the PCR test doesn't detect Omicron, how can 200,000+ a day omicron cases be reported? If the PCR tests do not work then shouldn't the figure should be nearer 20,000?

[DefaultName]

25 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

I have a friend in really bad shape he cannot get out of bed his throat is so sore he cannot even talk.

So, 70% are still Delta anyone who lets down their guard now is an idiot.  

Get him to hospital, when it gets that bad, he needs care.  If it settles on the lungs, that's when it gets dangerous - I got out a week back and I'm just finishing my steroids today.  They definitely helped - though I can still feel it when I breathe deeply - the air pollution isn't helping with that either!

[smedly]

50 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

I believe the same poor testing numbers also afflicts the UK

what on earth are you going on about, the UK is testing almost 2m per day

 

 

as for the OP - what a complete pile of nonsense, what planet is this guy on, 30% what ??

[Bkk Brian]

8 minutes ago, mrfill said:

Just wondering. The UK reports over 90% of new cases are Omicron. These are determined by PCR testing and subsequent genomic analysis. If the PCR test doesn't detect Omicron, how can 200,000+ a day omicron cases be reported? If the PCR tests do not work then shouldn't the figure should be nearer 20,000?

Not all PCR tests in UK are subsequently sequenced, impossible to do that many daily. PCR tests in the UK can pick up Omicron through the S gene drop out however so no need to sequence them all.

 

However it depends on the PCR test kit used, some brands do not pick it up and I think Thailand is referring to these.

 

New PCR test developed by the JRC can detect Omicron variant, latest testing by EU scientists confirms

 

RT-PCR COVID Test Kit To Detect Omicron Approved In India

[ozimoron]

1 minute ago, smedly said:

what on earth are you going on about, the UK is testing almost 2m per day

 

 

as for the OP - what a complete pile of nonsense, what planet is this guy on, 30% what ??

My point is that the actual number of cases is probably much higher than what is tested and reported, in any country.

[Enoon]

19 minutes ago, mrfill said:

Just wondering. The UK reports over 90% of new cases are Omicron. These are determined by PCR testing and subsequent genomic analysis. If the PCR test doesn't detect Omicron, how can 200,000+ a day omicron cases be reported? If the PCR tests do not work then shouldn't the figure should be nearer 20,000?

The inability to analyse the samples competently is what seems to be the problem in Thailand.

 

From the horses mouth:

 

"In his Facebook post today, he said that RT-PCR tests in Thailand do not examine the S gene in the virus, which means that they cannot detect the presence of the Omicron variant."

 

 

Edited January 9, 2022 by Enoon

[smedly]

43 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

I have a friend in really bad shape he cannot get out of bed his throat is so sore he cannot even talk.

So, 70% are still Delta anyone who lets down their guard now is an idiot.  

is he vaxed and how long ago, very unlikely delta, ATK tests have small detection window if they work at all

 

his symptoms sound very omicron not delta, years ago I have had the odd very bad cold exactly as your friend described - what should he do ?, if he has a very bad lung infection and has trouble breathing then he should seek medical assistance - if he has a sore throat and it remains that way then up to him

 

good video to watch.     

 

[smedly]

11 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

My point is that the actual number of cases is probably much higher than what is tested and reported, in any country.

no kidding

 

at least other countries including the UK and US are making an attempt testing, what exactly is Thailand doing or reporting ?, hiding numbers as usual, when you have a health minister that makes a stupid statement like "we have Omicron under control" then he has no interest in showing real numbers or trying to find them - it is called losing face and this man has no faces left

 

You cannot control Omicron spread "impossible", all you can do is supply vaccines and hope for the best - luckily it seems Omicron is showing more and more to be mild - and it is just luck - it could easily have been the other way and then we would be in real trouble

 

During delta I knew of 2 people total that got it in Thailand and were severely ill - both vaxed, so far I know of 10 people that have omicron and rising - they all have a cold

[ozimoron]

1 minute ago, smedly said:

no kidding

 

at least other countries including the UK and US are making an attempt testing, what exactly is Thailand doing or reporting ?, hiding numbers as usual, when you have a health minister that makes a stupid statement like "we have Omicron under control" then he has no interest in showing real numbers or trying to find them - it is called losing face and this man has no faces left

 

You cannot control Omicron spread "impossible", all you can do is supply vaccines and hope for the best - luckily it seems Omicron is showing more and more to be mild - and it is just luck - it could easily have been the other way and then we would be in real trouble

 

During delta I knew of 2 people total that got it in Thailand and were severely ill - both vaxed, so far I know of 10 people that have omicron and rising - they all have a cold

I think people who claim conspiracy theories like Thailand is hiding something should explain what their motive is and maybe provide some evidence that they are.

[RichardColeman]

1 hour ago, Bkk Brian said:

I'm not bashing Thailand, I'm stating facts, testing here is abysmal and always has been.

Yeah, but maybe they are aiming for world number 1 spot in non-testing ?

[smedly]

25 minutes ago, Enoon said:

"In his Facebook post today, he said that RT-PCR tests in Thailand do not examine the S gene in the virus, which means that they cannot detect the presence of the Omicron variant."

meaning the tests can detect sars cv 2 nut cannot identify it as omicron - other tests are required for that

[drenddy]

It's not Omicron, until Dr.Yong approves it.

 

Chuck Norris is history.

[smedly]

3 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

I think people who claim conspiracy theories like Thailand is hiding something should explain what their motive is and maybe provide some evidence that they are.

omg - welcome to my ignore list 

[ozimoron]

Just now, smedly said:

omg - welcome to my ignore list 

I'm kinda wondering why Thailand should be the only country in the world which wants to hide its covid numbers.

[RichardColeman]

31 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

I'm kinda wondering why Thailand should be the only country in the world which wants to hide its covid numbers.

You do not have to hide anything for it to be missing !

 

You simply don't look for it, don't look, don't find, don't publish. 

 

 

 

 

[ozimoron]

3 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

You do not have to hide anything for it to be missing !

 

You simply don't look for it, don't look, don't find, don't publish.

If you mean deliberately that brings you full circle back to my point.

[BangkokReady]

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

I have a friend in really bad shape he cannot get out of bed his throat is so sore he cannot even talk.

So, 70% are still Delta anyone who lets down their guard now is an idiot.  

Sure, until we hear that it's mostly Omicron out there, don't relax, but also don't panic and go crazy and lock yourself in your house 24/7.

[Bkk Brian]

9 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

You do not have to hide anything for it to be missing !

 

You simply don't look for it, don't look, don't find, don't publish. 

 

Last year there was a Prof from a Bangkok University interviewed by FCCT. His team was testing sewerage waste in different areas of Bangkok and finding covid samples, at the time Thailand was reporting zero cases. He contacted the relevant authorities and was ignored each time. 

 

The same way they implemented bubble and seal to migrant camps, left them all there to infect themselves and not bother testing them.

 

All keeps the numbers nice and low.

 

 

[dinsdale]

Very interesting. Was told this and can't varify but Samut Sakhon governor has broken down infections into both Delta and Omicron. 86% Omicron. Of course these are reported cases. Yes this is heresay and I really can't be bothered with finding any references but this reflects what is happening around the world. London Delta basically gone. 

Edited January 9, 2022 by dinsdale

[ozimoron]

That proportion is not unrealistic. The US has up to 95% omicron cases vs delta. Scientists are always conservative with language. When a scientist says "may" you can assume that it means "highly likely". The number seems eminently plausible and may be a much higher proportion.

 

[ozimoron]

4 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Very interesting. Was told this and can't varify but Samut Sakhon governor has broken down infections into both Delta and Omicron. 86% Omicron. Of course these are reported cases. Yes this is heresay and I really can't be bothered with finding any references but this reflects what is happening around the world. London Delta basically gone. 

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/04/omicron-makes-up-95percent-of-sequenced-covid-cases-in-us-as-infections-hit-pandemic-record.html

[IAMHERE]

Many men say if I don't feel better tomorrow I'll go to the clinic. With Omicron there's a pretty good chance you are feeling not just better but Asymptomatic. Forget the clinic and any testing.