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SCOTLAND HAS NOW recorded 29 cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19, an increase of 16 in the past 24 hours.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon warned they may rise “significantly” in the coming days as the variant is circulating in the community.
Sturgeon said that a Steps concert in Glasgow is among the sources of the cases, with six cases linked to the event.
Omicron is designated as a variant of concern by the World Health Organisation, experts have yet to fully determine its potential impact on the spread of Covid-19 but there are concerns that it may be more transmissible than other strains of the virus and more suited to evading immunity from vaccines or previous infection.
The variant is spreading rapidly in parts of southern Africa and has led to travel restrictions from a number of countries but it has also been identified in roughly 30 countries, including Ireland.
Ireland confirmed its first case of Omicron on Wednesday, in a person who had last week travelled from southern Africa.
Scotland has now identified 29 cases of the variant.
Previously, nine Omicron cases were linked to a single private event Sturgeon said there are now several different sources of infections of Omicon , including a Steps concert at the Hydro in Glasgow on Monday 22 November.
Risk to those who attended is said to be low and those who may have come into contact with the new variant at the event are being contacted.
“The number of Omicron cases now being reported in Scotland is rising, and cases are no longer all linked to a single event, but to several different sources including a Steps concert at the Hydro on 22 November,” Sturgeon said.
This confirms our view that there is now community transmission of this variant within Scotland. Given the nature of transmission we would expect to see cases rise, perhaps significantly, in the days ahead.
Wales
The first case of the Omicron variant has also been confirmed in Wales, in the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board area, the Welsh Government has said.
The case is linked to international travel.
The Welsh Government said it is “prepared to respond rapidly to emerging variants of concern and intensive investigations and robust public health action are being taken to slow any spread”.
Two people at the University of Oxford are also suspected to have the Omicron variant of Covid-19.
A University spokesperson said: “We can confirm that two members of Oxford University have tested positive for Covid-19, and the Omicron variant is suspected.
“The individuals are now isolating in line with government guidance and their close contacts have been notified and are also isolating.”
- With reporting by Rónán Duffy
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That’s outrageous! Who in the name of God sanctioned a Steps concert?!
@Football in the Groin: And all 6 attendees caught it. What are the odds?
@Football in the Groin: Its a tragedy..
@Football in the Groin: Brilliant!!!
@Football in the Groin: It was my boot scootin baby
That’s one concert Better Best Forgotten!
@Tony Stanley: A complete and utter Tragedy.
14 days solitary isolation for anyone that attended that concert. Not because of covid but to let the shame of it sink in
Should have taken more steps
I wonder how many have the winter vomiting which is far more incapacitating that this new variant by the sounds of it.
@a: Everyone I know has caught some mysterious flu or bug recently and have all been tested negative for covid. idk whats going on
@a: However, there is no increase in deaths from these non-COVID-19 illnesses so far (data is accurate up to end of October). All cause mortality was below average for most of this year and last year, except for COVID-19. This is from Euromomo https://i.imgur.com/oejNAZe.png
@Adam Rekio: cause you asked…
2 cases of influenza in the last week,
23 winter vomiting bug reports,
31088 covid cases
12 HIV infections
428 syncytial viurs (common cold)
32069 infections covered by the infectious disease report
I came across this a few days ago – makes interesting reading – there is even a breakdown by area and age
https://www.hpsc.ie/notifiablediseases/weeklyidreports/
answers some of the questions – but many people with a common cold do not even go to the doctor so it would be lacking in the unreported instances.
@a: to quote Marc Mendelson, the head of infectious diseases at the University of Cape Town,
“* “The only ones putting their hand on their hearts and telling the world don’t worry, this is going to be mild, haven’t learned enough humility yet in the face of this virus.””
Last I read and I have not the link to hand, is that omicron could be 500% more infectious and reinfect some that already had covid and that hospitalisation are up 330% or 400% – which might be both good and bad. The good part is that a smaller percentage end up in hospital but if too many get infected the numbers could be larger.
But truthfully I am hopeful but I do not want to be disappointed by having too high expectations, – and 23 winter vomiting bug reported in the last week – link in reply to another comment
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: ps, the 500% percent more infectious might be versus the original virus – the R number for delta is just below 1.5 and the R number for omicron was reported to be about 1.9 – also 500% sounds huge but actually is it just saying it is 5 times more infection than the original virus, which sounds less scary than 500%.
Was it 5 6 7 or 8? A Tragedy!
Better the variant you know
Steps will never get a break, bad singers and now this
I can accept that they don’t have enough data for the infection rate of Omicron, much less a more detailed analyse, but surely they must have some statistics about what symptoms may vary from the other strains, and also some data on death/recovery rates at this stage.
H.
Will Hastings ever get his man.
I’d say that was the last thing on their mind.. its a chain reaction when Covid starts to spread. To be honest these concerts are better best forgotten. It’s a tragedy for those involved though. Mind you, there are worse viruses out there – Better the devil you know.
I bet catching Omicron was “the last thing on their mind”. Boom boom
H.
With Hastings ever get his man.
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