Ómicron could mark the end of the pandemic, according to study

A study of patients infected with COVID-19 at a large hospital in the South African city where the first outbreak of the omicron variant was recorded showed a wave of infection that moved with “unprecedented speed” and caused illness much milder than the previous variants.

That could be an indication that the pandemic is coming to an end, said researchers who analyzed data at Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria. Data from South Africa, the first country to have a major omicron outbreak, has been closely followed to see how infections with the variant can develop globally.

“If this pattern continues and is repeated globally, we are likely to see a complete dissociation of case and death rates,” the researchers said. That suggests that “omicron may herald the end of the epidemic phase of the COVID pandemic, marking the beginning of its endemic phase ”.

The study showed that only 4.5% of COVID-19 patients died during their stay in the current wave, compared to 21% in previous abortions, according to a statement on the website of the South African Medical Research Council. . Fewer people were admitted to intensive care units and hospital stays were “significantly shorter”.

Asymptomatic disease

The hospital admissions rate increased rapidly, but began to decline within 33 days of the first evaluated admission, according to the study. A look at the patients in the hospital on December 14 and 15 showed that nearly two-thirds of those infected with COVID-19 had been admitted for other reasons.

“This phenomenon has not so far been observed to this degree at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital Complex or anywhere else in South Africa”Said the study. “Most likely reflects high levels of asymptomatic disease in the omicron-infected community“, He said.

The study at the state hospital analyzed the records of 466 patients from the current wave and 3,976 previous infection cases. It also found that:

• Hospital stays averaged 4 days compared to 8.8 in previous waves
• The average age of those admitted was 39 years compared to almost 50 in previous waves
• Admissions to intensive care units were reduced to 1% of patients compared to 4.3%
• Admissions peaked at 108 compared to 213 during the delta variant wave

The findings “were comparable to citywide trends when cases and admissions were reported from all public and private hospitals“Said the researchers. Was “a lower admission rate per case, a lower mortality rate and lower ICU admission rates compared to previous waves ”.