Rather than looking for a specific variant, the focus should be on minimising new infections, Sri Lanka’s health authorities said on Monday (03) as the country detected more cases of the Omicron strain in the community.
A new case was detected in China Fort area in Beruwala on Sunday (02), a gem dealer who had been planning to go abroad. Health officials said he tested positive for COVID-19 after a PCR test taken prior to boarding the flight.
The patient’s close contacts have now been directed to home quarantine, officials said. Sri Lanka has so far recorded nearly 50 cases of the variant that was first detected in South Africa.
“What’s important is that Omicron patients have been found in several districts. But that doesn’t mean there are cases only in those districts.” Deputy Director of Health Hemantha Herath told reporters on Monday.
“Omicron patients can be in any district. The best step we can take is to minimise the spread and follow health protocols, in spite of the variant we find. Whatever the variant, the symptoms are the same and the medical procedures are the same. So take preventive measure rather than looking for a variant,” said Herath.
Speaking to EconomyNext Monday afternoon, he said, Omicron cases have been detected in many districts.
“There is no use going behind a number now since it is already in the country. The best thing is to take preventive measures to minimise spreading,” he said.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said the overall risk related to the new variant of concern Omicron remains very high.
In its weekly Epidemiology update, the WHO said consistent evidence shows that the variant has a growth advantage over the Delta variant with a doubling time of two to three days and rapid increases in the incidence of cases is seen in a number of countries, including those where the variant has become the dominant SARS-CoV-2 variant, such as the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
However, a decline in the incidence of cases has now been observed in South Africa. The rapid growth rate is likely to be a combination of both immune evasion and intrinsic increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant, WHO said.
“Early data from the United Kingdom, South Africa and Denmark suggests there is a reduced risk of hospitalisation for the Omicron compared to the Delta variant. However, further data are needed to understand the clinical markers of severity including the use of oxygen, mechanical ventilation and death, and how severity may be impacted by vaccination and/or prior SARSCoV-2 infection.”
It is also expected that corticosteroids and interleukin 6 receptor blockers will remain effective in the management of patients with severe disease. However, according to the report, preliminary data suggest that monoclonal antibodies may be less able to neutralize the Omicron variant. Reassuringly, the report said, preliminary data also suggests testing using either PCR or antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDT) assays does not appear to be impacted by the Omicron variant.
Sri Lanka’s authorities have also opened schools for all grades, with the Grade 5 Scholarship examination, the GCE Ordinary Level and GCE Advanced Level exams to be held in the first quarter of the year.
All government employees have also been called back to work, starting Monday.
As of Monday, total COVID-19 cases in Sri Lanka stand at 587,935, with 11,967 patients currently receiving medical treatment. (Colombo/Jan01/2021)
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