Omicron's earliest clues: A scientist growing it in his lab and the GP who discovered it weigh in
While the world was busy making other plans, Omicron had already begun its quiet evolution. Now scientists are frantically studying the mysterious new variant so we can understand what we're fighting.
Every day for the last week, Thumbi Ndung'u and his team of researchers have spent hours inside a room with the world's most feared coronavirus variant.
In the worst-case scenario, this evolution could mean a more transmissible version of COVID-19, with the ability to evade existing vaccines.
For Professor Ndung'u, a Harvard-educated virologist from the Africa Health Research Insitute in Durban, none of that is certain until he and his colleagues do their work.
"What we have been doing so far is speculate," he said. "This is a very important next step."
Angelique Coetzee, a GP at a family practice in Pretoria, was among the first to raise the alarm over Omicron with South African authorities last month.
So far, Dr Coetzee estimates she has seen about 30 patients infected with Omicron come through her clinic.
Her experience with Omicron is anecdotal, but she does have cause for cautious optimism.
"The majority of patients that we are seeing have mild symptoms," she said. "Most of the adults will phone us [after they recover] and say they are so much better. This is not something that you would see with the Delta variant."
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2021-12-03 20:56:44Z
CBMiaWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIxLTEyLTA0L2NvdmlkLXVwZGF0ZXMtb21pY3Jvbi12YWNjaW5hdGlvbi1ib3JkZXJzLW5zdy12aWMtcWxkLW50LzEwMDY3MzY4ONIBKGh0dHBzOi8vYW1wLmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvYXJ0aWNsZS8xMDA2NzM2ODg
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