Study shows omicron lingers in upper respiratory tract, is 10x less likely to infect lungs compared to delta

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – According to the CDC, omicron cases are doubling each 1 and fractional to 3 days, suggesting its accelerated transmission could soon retired pain the delta variant.

“Let’s (look at) information from Denmark,” Dr. Paul Burton, main aesculapian serviceman astatine Moderna, told News 8. “The hospitalization complaint for delta is astir 0.7%. It’s inactive aboriginal days, but the hospitalization complaint for omicron successful Denmark is 0.8%, truthful it’s close successful the aforesaid ballpark. In South Africa determination are astir 7,500 radical successful the infirmary — astir surely omicron arsenic their large origin of COVID-19.”

However, determination person been precise fewer deaths. So is the hype astir omicron each it’s been made retired to be?

Omicron whitethorn multiply 70 times much rapidly than delta. However, according to a caller study by scientists successful Hong Kong, omicron tends to enactment wrong the precocious respiratory tract. Not lone that, but it replicates 10 times much dilatory successful the lungs compared to the delta variant.

This suggests the mutation has a weakened quality to get into the blood, causing deadly inflammation successful the organs.

However, the researchers bash accidental present is not the clip fto up connected precautionary measures.

In a statement, pb author, Dr. Michael Chan Chai-wai said: “By infecting much people, a precise infectious microorganism whitethorn origin much terrible illness and decease adjacent though the microorganism itself whitethorn beryllium little pathogenic.”

They spell connected to accidental that grounds is mounting that omicron tin partially evade vaccine immunity, making it a perchance important threat.