Omicron and Delta have nearly identical viral loads, which is not why Omicron has soared rapidly around the world and has become the dominant SARS-CoV-2 strain to replace Delta. Two yet-to-be-peer-reviewed studies show that Omicron releases no more viral load than Delta, according to Nature. It spreads at lightning speed simply because it is able to evade immunity – either naturally or from past vaccinations.

The results suggest that Omicron’s hypertransmissibility does not result from the release of large quantities of virus from infected individuals. Instead, says Emily Bruce, a virologist at the University of Vermont at Burlington, the best explanation for its lightning-quick spread is its ability to evade immunity to SARS-CoV-2 caused by vaccination or past infection.

What is viral load? It is the amount of virus in the body of an infected person. RT-PCR test showed viral load. The CT value reported by RT-PCR detection represents the viral load, and the lower the value, the higher the viral load.

To compare viral loads, the researchers looked at PCR tests of nasopharyngeal swabs taken from infected individuals and found that the Delta viral load was slightly higher than the Omicron viral load. “I really didn’t expect to see this,” said Yonatan Grad, an infectious disease expert at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts. load,” said Benjamin Meyer, a virologist at the University of Geneva in Switzerland.

Since Omicron was discovered in South Africa on November 24, 2021, the latest variant of the virus has been spreading at an unprecedented rate, and within two months, Omicron has become the dominant strain in the world, sparking a new wave of the pandemic. According to many scientists, Omicron is a completely different epidemic, with patients showing different symptoms. Unlike Delta, Omicron does not affect the lungs, resulting in lower hospitalization rates.

Complete News Source : Hindustan Times