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According to the latest AGES variant report, there are now 71 infections proven to be attributable to this new coronavirus variant. According to the report, the first five omicron cases were recorded in calendar week 47 (November 22-28). For the time being, the delta variant is still predominant and clearly dominant in Austria.
With the exception of Vorarlberg and Styria (EMS case data status: December 14, 7:00 a.m.), there are now confirmed Omicron cases in all other federal provinces: in Vienna 37, in Upper Austria 15, in Lower Austria seven, in Tyrol six, in Salzburg three, in Burgenland two and in Carinthia one.
Omicron classified as Variants of Concern
The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified five coronavirus variants as “Variants of Concern” (VOC). These include alpha (B.1.1.7), beta (B.1.351), gamma (P.1), delta (B.1.617.2), and the recent addition of omicron (B.1.1.529). According to data, the latter is more contagious than the Delta variant and therefore spreads faster. In its variant report, AGES cites the number of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases and “variant of concern” identified based on PCR testing or sequencing.
In the past calendar weeks, there were isolated cases in Austria that could be assigned to the alpha variant. Otherwise, infection activity in the country has been mainly in the delta range, plus the increasing number of omicron cases for three weeks, since the end of November. In calendar week 48 (Nov. 29-Dec. 5), AGES documented 28 Omicron cases, and by the following week (Dec. 6-12), there were 38 cases. It is expected that there will be a strong increase in new Omicron infections in Austria in the coming weeks. The peak is expected in January.
— source: k.at/picture:pixabay.com
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