SP confirms Ômicron in patient who has not traveled abroad
A 67-year-old resident of São Paulo, who has not recently traveled abroad, had confirmed infection by the Ômicron variant of the coronavirus, this Saturday (11) informed the State Department of Health, adding that it is still not possible to confirm whether the situation configures local transmission of the new coronavirus strain.
According to the secretariat, the man has a complete vaccination schedule against covid-19, including a booster dose, and showed only mild symptoms.
"The patient had a positive diagnosis for covid-19 on December 7, after undergoing a PCR test, and his sample was subjected to genetic sequencing, with Ômicron as a result. He is undergoing home isolation," the secretariat added in a statement .
After confirmation of the new variant, people who had contact with the patient are being sought to determine if the case represents local transmission of Ômicron. "It is still not possible to confirm whether the situation configures local transmission, precisely because this mapping of contacts is in progress", said the secretariat.
This is the seventh confirmed case of Ômicron in Brazil, and the fourth in São Paulo. The others were identified in the Federal District (2) and in Rio Grande do Sul (1). All these cases were confirmed in passengers who arrived in the country already infected with the new variant, which was discovered in southern Africa.
Ômicron has raised fears that the large number of mutations in the coronavirus spike protein, used by the virus to infect cells, could mean that the variant escapes vaccine-induced immunity.
Some immunizing manufacturers, however, claim that while it is possible that existing vaccines are less effective against Ômicron, it is likely that they will protect those infected with the new variant against severe covid-19 conditions.
Text translated using artificial intelligence.
