(ANSA) - ROME, NOVEMBER 28 - "The new Omicron variant of the coronavirus causes a mild disease without important symptoms": said, reported by various media, Angelique Coetzee, president of the Association of doctors of South Africa, the country from which the variant comes and that isolated it.
However, Dr. Coetzee pointed out that elderly people and people suffering from diseases are still at risk.
In statements cited by the Telegraph, she states that the possibility of a new variant had already emerged several days ago, due to the presence in the private clinic she managed in thePretoria of people who presented symptoms that initially did not seem those characteristic of Covid. There were people of all ethnicities with a sense of fatigue, children with a rapid heartbeat, without anyone presenting one of the most typical symptoms of the new coronavirus infection, that is, the loss of taste and smell. "Their symptoms were very different and mild compared to those I had previously treated," says the president of South African doctors, who has been in the profession for 33 years.
Coetzee explained that his patients did not have severe symptoms, which they were doing well, but expressed concern about older people, who are more vulnerable especially those suffering from cardiovascular disease or diabetes.
"What we need to worry about is that older people without the vaccine will get infected with the new variant (Omicron). And if they are not vaccinated, we will see many people with severe disease," Coetzee said, recalling the situation in South Africa. is very different from the British or European one, due to the low incidence of the vaccination campaign and to the insignificant portion of the population over 65, equal to only 6%.
(HANDLE).
