Omikron wave captured Munich: Corona variant detected in 50 percent of cases
Created: 01/04/2022, 8:00 AM
By: Leoni Billina
Long queues formed yesterday in front of the Corona test center on Theresienwiese.
© Achim Schmidt
The Omikron infections in Munich are increasing.
More than half of the positive corona tests examined show the virus variant.
The worries grow.
Munich - The wave is getting bigger and bigger: Omikron rolls over Bavaria and Munich. "Currently
(as of January 3rd; editor's note)
the percentage of the Omikron variant of those who tested positive for SARSCoV-2 in the southern German catchment area is over 50 percent," said Prof. Dr. Dr. Jürgen Durner, Chief Medical Officer at Labor Becker. The laboratory community examines several hundred positive PCR tests per week for the omicron variant of the coronavirus in the greater Munich area.
The virus variant, which was first discovered in South Africa, is not new in the state capital.
A research team from the Tropical Institute had already discovered traces of Omikron in Munich wastewater in December.
We had the first suspected case on November 29th, five weeks ago.
And now, after the holidays and the turn of the year, there are more and more cases.
Corona in Munich: Omikron is preparing itself rapidly - variant significantly more contagious
The current figures from the Becker laboratory confirm the dramatic development: In the week of Christmas, the proportion of the Omikron variant was still 27.5 percent, in the week before only 6.9 percent.
The enormous speed of propagation indicates one thing in particular: that Omikron is significantly more contagious than the delta variant that has prevailed up to now.
The concern is that it could quickly overload the health system and critical infrastructure.
On the other hand, there is the cautious hope that the Omicron infection will be milder compared to the previously prevalent Delta variant.
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Corona in Munich: Figures from the Robert Koch Institute are currently hardly reliable
Current figures on the corona pandemic for Munich are also available from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), but they should be treated with caution.
The institute pointed out that there was "less test and reporting activity" during the holidays and at the turn of the year.
The number of unreported cases could possibly be higher.
Typical omicron symptoms
A corona infection can run very differently - according to the Robert Koch Institute, however, certain symptoms occur particularly often with an omicron infection.
57 percent of those infected complain of a cough, 54 percent of a cold and 39 percent of a sore throat.
In South Africa, doctors report another symptom: night sweats.
"As of today
(January 3rd; editor's note)
, 1230 (suspected) cases for Omikron have been reported in Munich in the last 14 days," said a spokeswoman for the health department in writing on request.
The number of suspected Omikron cases as well as confirmed cases would increase continuously.
Omikron: The new quarantine rules
The next federal-state meeting on the corona situation is planned for Friday, January 7th.
There will probably be new resolutions - also for the quarantine rules regarding Omikron.
Currently, people infected with Omikron and their close contacts have to be in quarantine for 14 days - including those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered.
However, given the potentially enormous number of new infections, other quarantine periods are needed, according to Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD).
In France, there is already a maximum period of seven days for fully vaccinated people.
Especially in the event that load limits - for example for health care personnel - are reached, the quarantine rules may require shorter times.
The Robert Koch Institute wants to make a recommendation on the question before Friday.
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