The World Health Organization wants African countries to sequence the genome of the original virus between 75 and 150 samples per week to contain the Omicron mutant.
By Ibrahima Dione
It is a race against time.
The world is in a state of apnoea since the discovery, a week ago, of the Omicron variant in southern Africa.
The WHO said in a statement Thursday that this new strain has been detected “in over 20 countries” worldwide.
In Africa, the affected countries are South Africa, Botswana, Nigeria and Ghana.
Southern Africa, “accounts for 62 percent of notified cases,” according to WHO.
The UN agency said Omicron is characterized by “a high number of mutations (32 in all) in its spike protein, and preliminary data suggest an increased risk of reinfection compared to other variants of concern.”
There are still grey areas surrounding the new variant.
For this reason, WHO said, researchers and scientists in South Africa and the Africa Region are intensifying their research to understand the transmissibility, severity, and impact of Omicron on available vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments, and to determine whether it is fueling the latest outbreak of infections.
Infections are increasing in southern Africa, primarily in South Africa where, WHO reported, a 311 percent rise in infections in the week ending November 30 compared to the previous seven days.
“The timely detection and notification of the new variant by Botswana and South Africa has bought the world time. We have a window of opportunity, but we need to act quickly and intensify detection and prevention measures,” WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr. Matshidiso Moeti told a virtual press conference.
In addition, Moeti said, countries need to adapt their response and stop a surge of cases that would hit Africa and overwhelm already stretched health facilities.
To date, the vaccination rate remains very low in Africa with “102 million people” fully vaccinated, or 7.5 percent of the global population.
Only five African countries have reached the WHO target of vaccinating 40 percent of the population in each country by the end of 2021.
According to Moeti, “the combination of low vaccination rates, the continued spread of the virus, and the mutations of the virus is a toxic mix. Omicron is a wake-up call that the threat of Covid-19 is real.”
In support of Africa, WHO has mobilized “$12 million” to fund essential response activities over the next three months, the statement said.
ID/lb/as/APA