South Africa’s Discovery Health has investigated the Omicron variant’s clinical impact relative to other SARS-CoV-2 variants.
This was a major study involving 211,000 COVID-19 test results. The report was released Dec. 14.
“Epidemiological tracking shows a steep trajectory of new infections, indicating Omicron’s rapid spread, but so far with a flatter trajectory of hospital admissions, possibly indicating lower severity,” said Dr Ryan Noach, CEO of Discovery Health, South Africa’s largest private health insurer. “This lesser severity could, however, be confounded by the high seroprevalence levels of SARS CoV-2 antibodies in the general South African population, especially following an extensive Delta wave of infections.”
The findings could therefore reflect widespread naturally derived antibodies in the South African population rather than vaccine induced antibodies – and therefore may not be replicated elsewhere.
“Adults are experiencing a 29% lower admission risk relative to South Africa’s first wave of infection, dominated by D614G, in early 2020. Furthermore, hospitalised adults currently have a lower propensity to be admitted to high-care and intensive-care units, relative to prior waves,” said Shirley Collie, Chief Health Analytics Actuary at Discovery Health.
Children hospitalized with Omicron
The study also found an increase in the hospitalization rate of children infected with the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 was first identified in Southern Africa during November 2021. It was brought to the world’s attention by scientists in South Africa and Botswana and declared a Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization shortly thereafter.