COVID: What we know about the omicron

variant
Where has the B.1.1.529 been detected, how virulent is it and how did it develop? DW looks at
what we know about the new coronavirus variant, dubbed "omicron" by the WHO.

Where has the new variant been detected?

The new variant B.1.1.529, which the World Health Organization officially named omicron, was first
discovered on November 11, 2021, in Botswana.  That's just north of South Africa.Since then, B.1.1.529 has
also been found in South Africa. It's mainly been diagnosed in the province of Gauteng, which
includes Johannesburg and Pretoria.
Scientists ___________ (estimate) that up to 90% of all new coronavirus cases in Gauteng may be
linked to B.1.1.529. They _________ (suggest) that the new variant may have spread to eight other
provinces in South Africa as well. 
As international travelers _______ (start) to test positive for the new variant, countries _______
(begin) to shut the borders on certain routes or _________ (take) other measures to restrict travel.

On Friday (26.11.2021), Belgium _________ (record) the first confirmed case of the omicron variant in
Europe. That came after samples were tested for the B.1.1.529 variant. 
The Belgian virologist Marc Van Ranst _________ (write) on Twitter that the sample _______ (be)
from a traveler who had returned to Belgium from Egypt on November 11. That traveler _______ (start)
to show symptoms on November 22.

By Monday (29.11.2021), there were 13 confirmed omicron cases in the Netherlands, and other cases
outside of southern Africa, including in Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, France, Canada and Australia.
Late last week, hundreds more were awaited COVID test results at the Amsterdam airport as passengers
from two flights from South Africa arrived after the Dutch government announced it was banning all air
travel from the country earlier on Friday.
How dangerous is the new variant?
Researchers are concerned about the new variant because they say it _______ (show) an "extremely"
high number of mutations of the coronavirus. They _________ (find) 32 mutations in the spike protein.
By comparison, the delta variant, which is considered highly infectious, shows eight mutations. 

While the number of mutations in the spike protein _________ (be / not) an exact indication of how
dangerous a new variant is, it _________ (suggest) that the human immune system may find it harder to
fight the new variant. There ______ (be) indications that omicron can escape an immune response,
leaving people at a greater risk.
Dr Ulrich Elling, a molecular biologist at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology in Vienna — a
laboratory that specializes in sequencing the coronavirus and detecting new variants —   told DW that the
first estimates indicated the new variant "might be 500% more infectious than delta."
Infections with the new variant _______ ( be / not) necessarily more severe than infections with
previous variants. But there are signs that the new variant _______ (spread) faster and that that may
now put national health systems under greater strain, faster.
What is the WHO's response?
Right now, there is simply not enough solid, epidemiological data to say how infectious the new variant is.
On Friday, South Africa ________ (call) for an emergency meeting of the World Health Organization
(WHO) to discuss the new variant.
After the meeting, the WHO classified B.1.1.529 as a "variant of concern." It _________ (give) it the
name omicron, based on the Greek alphabet, as it has with other variants, such as the delta variant.

ACTIVITIES

1. Explain what the text is about. Say if you find it interesting or not and why.
2. Select 10 words you learned from the text and explain their meanings.