New strain Omicron classified,as variant of concern

The World Health Organization on Friday declared the recently-discovered B.1.1.529 strain of Covid-19, first detected in southern Africa, to be a variant of concern and renamed it Omicron. The classification puts Omicron into the most-troubling category of Covid-19 variants, along with the globally-dominant Delta, plus its weaker rivals Alpha, Beta and Gamma. Based on the evidence presented indicative of a detrimental change in Covid-19 epidemiology. the WHO has designated B.1.1.529 as a variant of concern (VOC), named Omicron, the UN health agency said in a statement.The B.1.1.529 variant was first reported to WHO from South Africa on November 24. The WHO pointed out that South Africa has witnessed steep increase in infections, coinciding with the detection of B.1.1.529 variant. The first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on November 9. "This variant has a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning," the WHO said, pointing to worrying characteristics. "Preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant, as compared to other VOCs."

Omicron has been detected in Israel in a person coming from Malawi; Botswana; Belgium and Hong Kong. The new variant has triggered widespread travel bans with the European Union, the US, Canada, Saudi Arabia joining list of countries suspending flights from South Africa. The Emirates airlines suspended all passenger flights, including for transit passengers, from South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zimbabwe until further notice. Meanwhile, non-pilgrims will be allowed to do the ritual circumambulation (tawaf) around the Holy Kaaba in Mecca's Grand Mosque, further reducing Covid-19 restrictions.