More Rapid Spread, Less Severe Disease with Omicron in S | UPDATES IN MEDICINE
More Rapid Spread, Less Severe Disease with Omicron in South Africa
In Gauteng, where the omicron variant was first identified, two thirds of unvaccinated residents were seropositive for SARS-CoV-2, which indicates past infection. Omicron peaked just 1 month after being detected; hospitalizations and deaths did not increase in proportion to cases. Whether this change is related to widespread preexisting immunity or to features of the virus is unclear.
