Health

Omicron virus is more transmissible and faster than Delta- Dr. Patrick Kumah-Aboagye

By Nana Ama Gyapong

Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, a Senior Public Health Specialist and Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has reiterated on the GTV Breakfast Show that the new Omicron variant is more transmissible than the Delta virus.

The Omicron variant is a variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. It was first reported to the World Health Organization from South Africa on 24 November 2021. Early on, in the pandemic, new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus were given scientific names with a complex combination of letters and numbers.

Explaining whether or not the new variant is deadly, Mr. Kuma-Aboagye said “it is not clear what the virus does, but what we know is that it is more transmissible and faster than the delta variant”.

He added that in countries like South Africa where the Omicron variant is severe, there have been reports that it causes mild diseases.

Giving the difference between the Delta and Omicron variant, Dr. Kumah- Aboagye explained that “if delta causes 20% of the public to fall sick, it affects about a 1000 people, it is just 200 people who have been affected, but if Omicron affects 10% of the population, that’s about 3000 people and so the Delta and Omicron variant balance with each other”.

He encouraged Ghanaians who have not been vaccinated yet to do so, because in due time the vaccination card will become a major requirement for entering public places.

Watch the full interview below;