New omicron variant: what do we know so far?
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(CNN) -
Two cases of the omicron variant have been detected in the United Kingdom, the country's Secretary of State for Health, Sajid Javid, said on Saturday.
Javid tweeted that the two cases were linked and that there was a connection to travel to southern Africa.
"These people isolate themselves in their homes while further testing and contact tracing is done," he added.
The Health Secretary said that specific tests will be implemented in the affected areas (Nottingham and Chelmsford), as well as the sequencing of all positive cases.
Javid said Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola would be added to the UK travel red list, starting at 4am this Sunday.
"If you have returned from there in the last 10 days, you must isolate yourself and get PCR tests," his tweet read.
A country that is on the 'red list' means that UK residents, as well as British and Irish nationals arriving home from that red list starting point, must undergo a 10-day hotel quarantine at office.
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Is Ómicron already in the United States?
Appearing on NBC this Saturday morning, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the omicron variant may already be in the United States, but has yet to be detected.
“I would not be surprised if it is there, we have not detected it yet, but when you have a virus that shows this degree of transmissibility and you have travel-related cases, they have already noticed it in other places, when you have a virus like this, it almost invariably goes to happen, ”Fauci told NBC on Saturday.
“The problem with blocking travel from a certain country is simply to give us time to better evaluate it.
That is the reason to do that.
There is no reason to panic, but we want to give you some time to fill in the blanks of what we don't know at this point, ”Fauci added.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that to date no known cases of omicron have been identified in the United States, and that if the variant emerges, the agency hopes that the cases will be quickly identified through the system of surveillance of variants of the nation.
While saying "there is no reason to panic," Fauci cautioned that the new variant must be taken seriously and justifies the recently imposed travel ban against South Africa and seven neighboring countries.
“It appears to have spread rapidly in South Africa, although the numbers are relatively small, its ability to infect people who have recovered from infection and people who have been vaccinated makes us say that this is something to pay a lot of attention to. pay attention and get ready for something that is serious, ”said Fauci.
“It may not turn out that way, but you want to be ahead.
That's why we are doing what we are doing, "he told NBC.
Martin Goillandeau and Keith Allen contributed to this report.
