The World Health Organisation (WHO) designated SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1529 as a ‘variant of concern’.

Key Points

• This variant of SARS-CoV-2 has been named as Omicron.
• This variant was first detected in Botswana region of South Africa on November 24.
• South Africa is witnessing sharp increase in covid-19 infection, coinciding with the detection of Omicron variant.
• First known confirmed Omicron infection was from a specimen collected on November 9.

Who monitors the evolution of virus?

The Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution (TAG-VE) periodically monitors and evaluated the evolution of Covid-19 virus. TAG-VE is an independent group of experts.

About Omicron Variant

• The newly detected variant has large number of mutations. Some of the mutations are concerning.
• Preliminary evidence shows that, there is an increased risk of reinfection with the detection of this variant, as compared to other Variants of concerns.
• This variant can be detected using SARS-CoV-2 PCR diagnostics, as of now.
• It has a “very unusual constellation of mutations,” that is, 32 in the spike protein alone.
• This variant is characterised by 30 amino acid changes, 3 small deletions and 1 small insertion in the spike protein as compared to original virus. Out of 30, 15 are located in the receptor binding domain.