The new variant of the Omicron coronavirus

The new variant of the Omicron coronavirus is said to be 500 percent more infectious than the original coronavirus, SARS-Cov-2, which was first discovered in Wuhan, China, in 2019.

This was conveyed by Eidemiologist from Griffifth University Australia, Dicky Budiman, to Kompas.com, Saturday (27/11/2021).

According to Budiman, if it is likened to the Delta variant with 100 percent transmission rate, then Omicron can reach 500 percent, or 5 times the transmission rate.

"This is a possibility (the new variant) of Imocron can be up to 500 percent or 5 times the transmission speed," said Dicky.


For this reason, the World Health Organization or WHO groups Omicron into the category of variant of concern (VoC), without going through the category of variant of interest (VoI).


To note, the variant of interest is the SARS-CoV-2 variant which is characterized by amino acid mutations that cause changes in the viral phenotype, which are known or predicted to change the epidemiology, antigenicity, and virulence of the virus.


Meanwhile, the variant of concern is a variant of the corona virus that causes an increase in transmission and death rates due to Covid-19. VoC is also a variant with two VoI components.


So far, the groups that have entered the VoC are the Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta variants. The transmission rate of the Omicron variant is 400 times faster than the Delta variant.

While it is important to note that the Delta variant had made corona cases soar in a second wave in a number of countries in mid-2021.

Even though this Delta variant is "only" 100 percent of the transmission rate. What about the Omicron variant whose transmission is 400 percent from Delta and 500 percent from the original Covid? Because the WHO also warned of the dangers of Omicron because the transmission rate is very high.

Dicky also said that this variant was very serious because it immediately became a variant of concern without going through the variant of interest or under investiagtion stages first. "But this immediately jumps, meaning this is a very, very serious sign," said Dicky.

WHO in its official statement, Tuesday (9/11/2021) said that this new variant of B.1.1.529 Omicron has a large number of mutations and some of them are worrying. Variant B.1.1.529 was identified in 10 cases in three countries, namely South Africa, England and Scotland.


The UK's Health and Safety Agency's Chief Medical Adviser Susan Hopkins warned that the new variant, which was first identified in South Africa, was the most worrying variant.

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