New Omicron variant | Canada is monitoring positive case in Hong Kong

The disturbing Omicron variant continues to spread around the world, resulting in restrictions and border closures. While a traveler to Hong Kong from Canada tested positive for this variant, some experts are calling for more equitable vaccine coverage with less well-off countries.

Lila Dussault
Press

In Hong Kong, a traveler from South Africa tested positive for the B.1.1.529 variant, named Omicron, Reuters reported on Friday. Another traveler, who arrived from Canada, was also tested positive while in quarantine in a hotel room opposite that of the South African traveler. The latter’s use of a mask fitted with a valve that did not filter the exhaled air could have been at the origin of the transmission of the virus to the occupant of the room opposite, according to a door – speech of the Hong Kong health authorities.

“Global Affairs Canada is following up on media reports [au sujet] of a Canadian citizen in quarantine in Hong Kong, ”said Christelle Chartrand, spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada, in an email sent to Press. “Due to the provisions of Privacy Act, no other information can be disclosed, ”she said.

Recall that the appearance of the Omicron variant, deemed “worrying” by the World Health Organization (WHO), was reported to him on November 24 by South Africa. The first detection of the variant in this country dated back to November 9. It coincides with a significant increase in the number of new cases of COVID-19 in South Africa over the past two weeks.

This variant exhibits “a multitude of genetic modifications”, says virologist Benoit Barbeau of the University of Quebec in Montreal. “We think there are about 50, and 32 specifically on the spike protein,” he says. These variations could make it more transmissible, but also more resistant to antibodies, explains the specialist.

“Omicron combines 32 mutations: it is double what we have had so far in all the other variants”, also worries Amir Khadir, microbiologist and infectious disease specialist at Pierre-Le Gardeur hospital.

Transmission and restrictions

After Belgium, the United Kingdom, Germany, Israel, Hong Kong and Italy, the Czech Republic announced on Saturday a first case of the Omicron variant in a traveler returning from Namibia, according to Agence France-Presse .

On the Dutch side, around sixty passengers from Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa, were in quarantine on Saturday. “The Omicron variant was probably found among those tested,” the country’s National Institute of Public Health said. The final results should be known this Sunday.

Israel on Saturday became the first country to announce the complete closure of its borders to foreign travelers for a period of two weeks, hoping to prevent the spread of the new variant, Reuters reported. Israeli nationals will also have to self-quarantine upon their return home and screening will be stepped up.

Since Friday, Canada has banned the entry into the country of travelers from southern Africa. The target countries are South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini (Swaziland) and Namibia.

A large number of countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, have also announced restrictions at their borders for travelers from certain countries in Africa, as well as tougher quarantine and testing rules.

South Africa “punished”

South Africa is “punished” for having detected the Omicron variant, the Pretoria government rebelled on Saturday, according to Agence France-Presse. The country denounced a phenomenon of “panic” and unjustified “draconian” measures. In response, the United States praised South Africa for its “transparency” with the rest of the world upon the discovery of the Omicron variant.

South Africa’s vital tourism industry is largely affected by travel restrictions. “It was a big blow for us,” laments Craig Spencer, founder and director of the anti-poaching organization Transfrontier Africa. We had a media team who slipped away at the last minute and DER Touristik, a big travel agency, who canceled. Others too, ”he explained to Press.

Johannesburg Airport in South Africa was stormed Friday and Saturday by travelers wanting to catch a return flight.

Inequitable vaccination coverage

The Omicron variant emerged in a densely populated area where vaccination coverage was lower than in the rest of South Africa, explains Amir Khadir. “The least vaccinated places are incubators [pour les variants] », Recalls the microbiologist.

Africa is the least vaccinated continent. Vaccination rates in countries targeted by Canada’s entry ban are very low: 24.4% in South Africa, 11.4% in Mozambique, 20.4% in Botswana, 19% in Zimbabwe, 26 , 9% in Lesotho, 11.8% in Namibia.

He said patents granted to pharmaceutical companies that developed the vaccines should be withdrawn to ensure global immunization coverage. “These patents have been publicly funded internationally. There is no reason for the pharmaceutical industry to monopolize these patents. Doesn’t the state of emergency apply to corporate profits? ”

Virologist Benoit Barbeau also stresses the importance of vaccination everywhere in the world. “We are talking about a third dose for everyone in Canada, but we should rather ensure that elsewhere, people are well vaccinated,” said the professor.

Almost 54% of the world’s population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, but only 5.6% in low-income countries, according to the Our World in Data site.

United States President Joe Biden on Saturday echoed WHO’s repeated calls to help poor countries vaccinate their populations to prevent the emergence of new variants.

Since the end of 2019, COVID-19 has killed at least 5.18 million people worldwide, according to a count from Agence France-Presse.