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Covid-19: Omicron variant could outcompete Delta, says NICD scientist

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The Omicron coronavirus variant, identified in South Africa, could be the most likely candidate to displace the highly contagious Delta variant, says the director of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases.
The Omicron coronavirus variant, identified in South Africa, could be the most likely candidate to displace the highly contagious Delta variant, the director of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said on Tuesday. The discovery of Omicron has caused global alarm, with countries limiting travel from southern Africa for fear it could spread quickly even in vaccinated populations, and the World Health Organisation (WHO) saying it carries a high risk of infection surges. “We thought what will outcompete Delta? That has always been the question, in terms of transmissibility at least… perhaps this particular variant is the variant,” Adrian Puren, the acting executive director of the NICD, told Reuters. If Omicron proves even more transmissible than the Delta variant, it could lead to a sharp spike in infections that could put pressure on hospitals.

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