Omicron: What we know about the new COVID-19 variant

The first South African doctor to raise the alarm about patients with the Omicron variant says it “might be more infectious” but symptoms of the new variant are mild so far.

Chair of South African Medical Association, Dr Angelique Coetzee, says the most common symptoms of the variant are fatigue, body aches and pains, a scratch in the throat and a dry cough which comes and goes.

“It might be more infectious than Delta but it’s mild symptoms that we are seeing. We’re not seeing severe cases, not at this stage, we might see them going forward,” she told Ross and Russel.

Dr Coetzee says signs that existing vaccines provide protection against the new variant are hopeful.

“We haven’t seen any severe diseases so … for now it seems as if it might protect you, but again it’s very early,” she said.

Dr Coetzee first saw patients with the new variant on November 18.

Two cases of Omicron were confirmed in Australia yesterday, with two travellers from southern Africa testing positive in Sydney.

Press PLAY below to hear the latest about the Omicron variant

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