“Less than 0.1% each of the sequences uploaded to platforms like GISAID have been Alpha, Beta and Gamma. 96% of the sequences available are still Delta. About 1.6% of sequences that have been shared in recent weeks is Omicron. We definitely see increasing growth rates of Omicron where it's been detected and it's now been reported in more than 106 countries to date. There is a combination of factors that we think are leading to this increasing transmission. First are the mutations that are identified in the Omicron variant and we know something about these mutations because some of these are present in other variants of concern. So, for example, in Omicron there are mutations that allow the virus to adhere to the cell more easily and infect the cell more easily. We also see immune escape where we see increasing rates of reinfection. And then there is some preliminary data that's looking at the efficiency and replication of the Omicron variant in the upper respiratory tract as opposed to the lower respiratory tract in the lungs. So this combination of factors is likely leading to why we are seeing increased growth rates in a number of countries.”
22 Dec 2021
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