CORONA New Botswana variant, 32 'horrific' mutations. most evolved strain EVER and could be 'worse than Delta'; may have emerged in an HIV patient

psychgirl

Has No Life - Lives on TB
So far the SA health authorities say no. Too early to tell. This may be the variance we've been looking for. Either this is a hellish beast or it might be the new predominant cold. I think the extreme caution the world is taking with it is advisable. If it gets into the UK we will no for sure about.
I’d bet you it’s ALREADY there.
Probably here in the US, too...

We’ll see what this is gonna be about, real shortly.
That’s just wonderful.

Just when Indiana was /has been, relaxing the whole mask and scare dramas , people are seeming to be in a mode of “getting on with life” around here. Masks still around here and there, yes, but not the overall fright vibe.

It’ll be states like Indiana that will push back, really hard, if/when there’s ANY whiff of shutting down again or jacking with the economy and school systems.
 

CaryC

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Didn't see this in this thread. It also does not include the 61 passengers news:




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A Scared Nu World: Here's What We Know About The COVID "Omicron" Strain
Tyler Durden's Photo

BY TYLER DURDEN
FRIDAY, NOV 26, 2021 - 09:20 AM
Summarizing of our post from last might (which we urge everyone to read) for those who are just now waking up to the global chaos resulting from the B.1.1.529 variant, which today got the Greek letter designation Omicron...

... skipping the widely expected letter Nu (and certainly the one following it, Xi), here is what we know, courtesy of Newsquawk, Credit Suisse and Citi.

Background

  • Regarded as the most heavily mutated variant of the Coronavirus, thus far, as it has 32 mutations in the spike protein and 50 overall. More specifically, scientists have highlighted that there are 10 mutations vs 2 in the Delta variant regarding the receptor binding domain, which is the portion of the virus that makes initial contact with cells.
  • The Omicron variant was identified 5 days ago initially in Botswana with subsequent confirmation and sequencing in South Africa with about 100 confirmed cases. Cases have been detected in Israel and Hong Kong and as of this morning, in Belgium.
  • Sequencing data suggests 8.1.1.529 has a different evolutionary pathway, but shares a few common mutations with the C.1.2, Beta and Delta variants.
  • That said, as we cautioned last night, a significant number of mutations may not necessarily be a ‘negative’ as it is dependent on how these mutations function, which scientists are yet to establish. Then again, since it is the job of science to fearmonger so that Pfizer can buy an even bigger yacht, assume it will be "very very horrifying" until proven innocuous.


Is it more deadly

  • It is currently too early to determine if the new variant has higher mortality than previous variants. Reported cases only started rising in South Africa on 19 November, so any impact on hospitalizations and COVID-related deaths will not have yet emerged.
Testing and Detectability

  • Tulio de Oliveria, the Director of the Centre for Epidemic Response & innovation (CERI), South Africa, has written that the variant can be detected by a normal PCR test and as such it will be "easy for the world to track it". It wasn't immediately clear if this is one of those "excess false positive PCR tests" but it's safe to assume for now that it is.
  • According to Credit Suisse, "one silver lining may come in the ease of identifying this variant via qPCR tests. B.1.1.529 has a deletion within the s-gene which can be identified easily via widely-used PCR tests. More complex sequencing analysis is needed to differentiate the delta variant. This will help track the spread of B.1.1.529, both within Southern Africa and across the globe."
How widespread is it

  • As of Thursday there were almost 100 cases detected in South Africa, where it’s become the dominant strain among new infections. Early PCR test results showed that 90% of 1,100 new cases reported Wednesday in the South African province that includes Johannesburg were caused by the new variant, according to de Oliveira.
  • In neighboring Botswana, officials recorded four cases on Monday in people who were fully vaccinated. In Hong Kong, a traveler from South Africa was found to have the variant, and another case was identified in a person quarantined in a hotel room across the hall. Israel has also identified one case in a man who recently traveled to Malawi. Belgium has also reported two new cases.
  • According to de Oliveira, this new variant, B.1.1.529 "seems to spread very quick! In less than 2 weeks now dominates all infections following a devastating Delta wave in South Africa (Blue new variant, now at 75% of last genomes and soon to reach 100%)"

Transmission

  • Oliveria, explains that the new variant is spreading very quickly, in under two-weeks it is now dominating all infections in South Africa following the Delta waves domination – writing that it the variant is “now at 75% of last genomes and soon to reach 100%”.
  • Additionally, the virus contains mutations that have been seen in other variants and appear to make transmission easier.
  • Outside of Africa, two cases have been reported in Hong Kong, one from a traveller from the region and another who was quarantining in the adjacent hotel room. Most recently, a case has been reported in Israel.
  • In response to this, the UK has placed much of southern Africa on the red list, with Israel India, Japan and Singapore also taking similar measures. Additionally, EU Commission President von der Leyen is to propose activation of the emergency air brake, to halt travel from southern Africa.
Vaccines

  • It is too early to accurately determine the vaccine response to the new variant. However, the significant number of variants increase the likelihood that current vaccines, which were designed with the original COVID-19 strain in mind, may be less effective.
  • Known variants include those that make it more challenging for antibodies to recognise their presence.
  • Laboratory testing is already underway according to the South Africa National Institute for Communicable Diseases Initial thoughts from the institute are that partial immune escape is likely, a view that seems possible given the numerous mutations in comparison to the sequence that existing vaccines were designed against. The first view on this to be from in vitro immunogenicity test or perhaps from computer modelling of the sequence. Credit Suisse estimates initial lab data could take less than 1 week to generate given the sequence is already known and work is already ongoing.
New Vaccine Would be Available in 100 days

  • According to Pfizer, if a vaccine-escape variant emerges, the company expects to develop, produce a tailor-made vaccine against that variant in 100 days. (O, thank the Lord, Pfizer is on the case [sarc another 10 billion in the bank)
Impact of efficacy of existing drugs antibodies is unknown.

  • There have been significant advances in treatment of COVID since it emerged in the disease waves of 2020: the use of widely-available steroids, and anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Roche's Actemra have significantly improved survival outcomes.
  • More recently, antibody therapies targeting COVID (LLY, REGN/Roche, AZN) have significantly improved outcomes against COVID variants to date. It will need to be seen if their efficacy is equal against the new B1.1.529 variant.
  • Lastly the recent positive data from oral anti-viral agents (PFE, MRK/Ridgeback) may also have the potential to slow the spread of any new waves of COVID. The effectiveness of these treatments against new variants of concern will need to be tested, but lab results should be expected relatively quickly. In-human studies should also yield results relatively quickly if they are run in areas where the prevalence of 8.1.1.529 is high.
What's next

  • According to Citi, concern over Omicron needs to be balanced against the failure of other concerning variants such as Beta (also first identified in Africa) to out-compete delta.
  • The next two weeks will be critical to: (i) determine whether Omicron outcompetes delta in high delta prevalence countries (2-3 weeks), (ii) engineered pseudoviruses for Omicron to determine neutralization by serum of vaccination and previously infected patients (2-4 weeks), and (iii) real world data to determine rates of hospitalisation and death (c. 6-8 weeks). The implementation of travel restrictions and public health measures may push back some of the above timeline estimates. Novel oral anti-virals should retain activity against Omicron but resistance may emerge with time.
A Scared Nu World: Here's What We Know About The COVID "Omicron" Strain | ZeroHedge
 

Melodi

Disaster Cat
Well, that didn't take long - now in the UK...per RTE (Irish National Broadcaster)
Two cases of new Covid-19 variant detected in UK
Updated / Saturday, 27 Nov 2021 14:55

The cases have been traced to southern Africa, Sajid Javid said

The cases have been traced to southern Africa, Sajid Javid said

Two cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant which was first detected in southern Africa have been found in the UK, according to British health secretary Sajid Javid.

Mr Javid said the two individuals who tested positive for the variant are self-isolating alongside their households, with further testing to be carried out.

He added that the two cases are linked, and contact tracing is being carried out.

The cases have been traced to southern Africa, he said.

Britain will also add Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola to its travel "red list" from 4am tomorrow, meaning British and Irish residents who arrive in the country must quarantine in a government-approved hotel for 10 days. Non-residents will be refused entry.

That list already contained Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance and Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty will hold a news conference later "to set out further measures", Mr Javid said

The World Health Organization has termed the recently discovered strain a "variant of concern" and said it is more transmissible than the dominant Delta strain.

A confirmed case has also been found in Belgium, with cases also detected in South Africa, Botswana and Hong Kong.



Read more: Latest coroanvirus stories

The South African government has said it is being "punished" for detecting the latest variant, with a number of countries around the world banning flights from southern Africa following the discovery.

European Union officials have urged all 27 nations in the bloc to restrict travel from southern Africa, while the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, and Saudi Arabia have also imposed restrictions.

Concerned Irish citizens in southern Africa are being advised to contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and its embassy network.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has said there are over 35,000 Irish citizens based in South Africa.

The majority of these people are dual nationals and long-term residents of South Africa.

The size of the Irish community in neighbouring countries is much less, with the estimated number of Irish people travelling in these countries being "relatively small" compared to South Africa.
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Can I get a confirmation that this is a rather mild form of the disease? Someone mentioned that last night on FOX, but I don't make decisions based on one person's info.
 

Zoner

Veteran Member
According to Campbell, the Monoclonal treatment will not work on this new variant, and neither will any of the vaccines!

He also said that they can tweak the vaccine to fit this new mutation but will they and is there enough time? He said they have yet to tweak the vaccines to the Delta variant. Greed and avarice involved no doubt.

What Campbell is hoping for, and so should all of us, is that this mutation will spread rapidly to the whole world and create herd immunity. What is still unknown at the moment is how sick this virus will make the host. So I wait with bated isolated breath with you all and the whole world.

Got Ivermectin?
 

bw

Fringe Ranger
That elusive and subliminal full disclosure just keeps making its way closer and closer to the surface, doesn’t it ?

The Greeks a couple thousand years back knew that the Deep State would invent a virus and use their letters to name variants. And they knew that the English language would eventually be invented that would include a word that would be an anagram for the English spelling of the Greek letter.

Damn, the Deep State is deeper than I thought.
 

Zoner

Veteran Member
For those who want Ivermectin and don't want the horse paste or can't get the pills.
Ivermectin | Barnhardt talks about the safety and efficacy of Ivermectin.
Here is Ivermectin in liquid form that I ordered from the link.
 

Samuel Adams

Has No Life - Lives on TB
The Greeks a couple thousand years back knew that the Deep State would invent a virus and use their letters to name variants. And they knew that the English language would eventually be invented that would include a word that would be an anagram for the English spelling of the Greek letter.

Damn, the Deep State is deeper than I thought.

Let that be a lesson to yuh.


:xpmp:
 

TorahTips

Membership Revoked
Not sure if anyone brought it up or not but Bill Gates owns a research lab in one of the African countries.
Here's some information right from the dude himself. The content is really sanitized but you can read between the lines like I did. This is a link to his Foundation. Especially focus on the Overview.

 

CaryC

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Omicron Variant First Detected In Four "Fully Vaxx'd" People, SA Medical Chief Only Seen "Very, Very Mild Cases"
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Authored by Paul Joseph Watson via Summit News,
The new ‘Omicron’ variant of COVID-19 was first detected in four people who were fully vaccinated, according to a public statement by the Botswana government.

The new variant, which some claim is three times more contagious, was initially discovered in Botswana before it spread across South Africa.
The news was met with global alarm, prompting financial markets to plummet and new travel bans to be put in place.
According to a public statement by the Botswana government, the new mutation was first discovered in four people who had received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Botswana Government says that the new COVID variant (named Omicron) was first detected in four patients who were FULLY VACCINATED for COVID. https://t.co/twfaWmK2Gu
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) November 26, 2021
According to the report, four cases of the new variant “were reported and recorded” on November 22.
“The preliminary report revealed that all the four had been completely vaccinated for COVID-19,” according to Botswana authorities.
In a subsequent statement, the government revealed that the new variant “was detected on four foreign nationals who had entered Botswana on the 7th November 2021, on a diplomatic mission.”
STATEMENT ON THE NEW COVID-19 VARIANT pic.twitter.com/ItmUi8H6j8
— Botswana Government (@BWGovernment) November 26, 2021
“The quartet tested positive for COVID-19 on the 11th November 2021 as they were preparing to return,” according to the statement.
In a piece of good news, others who had close contact with the infectees “have no COVID-19 symptoms and have tested negative for COVID-19.”
As we highlighted earlier, according to Belgian Prime Minister , the Omicron variant is so potentially devastating that it should be called ‘COVID-21’.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s medical chief Dr. Angelique Coetzee described the panic as a “storm in a teacup,” adding that she had only seen “very very mild cases” of the variant so far.

* * *

Omicron Variant First Detected In Four "Fully Vaxx'd" People, SA Medical Chief Only Seen "Very, Very Mild Cases" | ZeroHedge
 

naegling62

Veteran Member
The latest from Geert Vanden Bossche:
My opinion on the new African variants

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The world may be taken by surprise but that doesn't include us. It remains to be seen whether Omicron can outcompete Delta (to be confirmed). If that’s the case, we're definitely not in good shape.

In case of CoV, innate immunity protects the individual and the 'herd' ( sterilizing immunity, no natural selection pressure, herd immunity) whereas adaptive immunity induced with leaky vaccines has exactly the opposite effect.

THE big Q is whether such an immune escape variant could even resist naturally acquired Abs in people who recovered from C19 disease. I am, indeed, cautious and worried about ADE, even in the unvaccinated who recovered from C-19 disease as they may no longer be able to control viral infection. ADE would equal ‘enhanced virulence’. Difficult to predict.
Mass vaccination has compressed the evolutionary trajectory of the virus from a few hundred years (?) down to one year. Hope that naturally primed individuals can deal with that speed.


 

Chance

Veteran Member
So the WHO skips Nu and Xi (as in the CCP President) - and renamed this variant Omicron. So Nu is Omicron.

Well, that was confusing....
 

ainitfunny

Saved, to glorify God.
'It's very airborne,' Feigl-Ding said. 'The hotel guests were in different room across the hallway from each other. Environmental samples found the virus in 25 of 87 swabs across both rooms.'

Fomites. They swabbed surfaces and found fomites. I used all my hand sanitizer making fire starters last winter.

Fire starters made with hand sanitizer (70% alcohol) only work for an hour or so till the alcohol evaporates. :(:confused::kiss:
 

Barry Natchitoches

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Correct me, but I don't remember any significant death counts from Africa. We expected a heavy toll before the bug got there, but nada. Do they have a big jab program in the hinterlands? If they don't, and so if the jab won't clear them out, and the bug didn't, not much cleansing going on.
In Africa, they use Ivermectin on a regular basis for local parasites. They drink bad water over there, so parasites are inevitable. And Ivermectin is the drug of choice for the parasites.

With all that ivermectin use by the masses, any wonder why they aren’t experiencing the Covid problems we are experiencing here in the “first world?”
 
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