Fauci says US working with South Africa to learn more about new COVID variant, Omicron

As the world reels under fear from the newly discovered COVID-19 strain, Omicron, top US medical expert Dr Anthony Fauci said the USA is working closely with South Africa to learn more about the molecular makeup of the variant before it can concretely assess the threat the new COVID strain poses. The Omicron variant, first discovered in South Africa, has been deemed a Variant of Concern (VoC) by the World Health Organization (WHO).

While speaking to CNN, chief medical advisor to the US President and director of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr Fauci, said, "Right now you're talking about sort of like a red flag that this might be an issue- but we don't know." He clarified that once it is tested it would be clear whether the new COVID strain "does or does not evade the antibodies that we make- for example against the virus, through a vaccine."  

"US scientists are in very active discussion with South African specialists to learn more about the molecular makeup of the variant so that researchers can examine for the variant in the United States. This kind of data also can help investigators better foretell how well current COVID-19 vaccines may work against the variant," Fauci told CNN.

Additionally, he clarified that there were no footprints detected of the Omicron variant yet in the USA.

Earlier on Thursday, South African Health Minister Joe Phaahla had announced the discovery of the variant. He, however, called travel bans being imposed by countries, in light of the Omnicron COVID variant, 'unjustified', saying they were "completely against the norms and standards as guided by the World Health Organization." 

COVID cases in South Africa

Meanwhile, AP reported, quoting a WHO official, that researchers are investigating the source of the virus that led to the recent spike in the African country. In addition, the official revealed that the COVID variant, first detected in South Africa, has also been detected in travellers from Hong Kong and Botswana.

Notably, COVID-19 cases in South Africa jumped from 273 at a weekly average of 290 on November 16 to 2,465 at a weekly average of 3,655 on November 25. Medical experts in the country are attributing the jump to the newly discovered Omicron variant. 

(Image: AP/Pixabay)