Health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula says the country is well capacitated to test for potential coronavirus variants, including the new Omicron strain, adding authorities were closely monitoring the situation on the ground.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported Sunday RT-PCR tests can detect infection with Omicron, and that other studies are being conducted to see whether other test types can detect the Covid-19 variant of concern.
The emergence of the Omicron strain saw countries rushing to close their borders and halting flights on travellers from southern Africa, including Namibia. “Namibia has the capacity to test for all the coronavirus variants. So far, we have not detected the Omicron variant in Namibia. We are monitoring the situation closely and will take necessary measures,” Shangula told New Era yesterday. On whether the country is contemplating on closing its borders to nations that have detected the variant, Shangula said details will be communicated to citizens once it becomes public information.
The newly detected Covid-19 variant B.1.1.529 sent shockwaves around the world, leading to some countries like the United Kingdom, Germany and Angola closing their borders to travellers from South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
Meanwhile, local pulmonologist Dr Willie Bruwer said there is not a lot of information to work on at the moment and panicking over the new variant won’t solve anything. “This is a variant that has got these small mutations, the concern is the variant will spread more rapidly and possibly evade immune mechanism as well as other natural immunity or vaccine. It seems compared to the Delta variant, it is much more transmissible,” stated Bruwer. He said at least the variant was detected quickly which gives time for countries to react and put the right mechanisms in place. “From the public point of view, the focus must be on individual protection by wearing masks at all times, avoiding large gatherings, and getting vaccinated although, from the preliminary data it says, one might still get the virus after getting jabbed,” said Bruwer. He pleaded with Namibians to get vaccinated as this will not lead to severe illness or hospitalisation. Bruwer said there is no need for panic and hysteria and the current closure of borders or banning of individuals from certain countries is not necessary. WHO said researchers in South Africa and around the world are conducting studies to better understand many aspects of Omicron and will continue to share the findings of these studies as they become available. The organisation in an update said it is not yet clear whether Omicron is more transmissible compared to other variants, including Delta. It is also not yet clear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease compared to infections with other variants, including Delta. Preliminary data suggests that there are increasing rates of hospitalisation in South Africa, but this may be due to increasing overall numbers of people becoming infected, rather than a result of a specific infection with Omicron. Professor Barry Schoub, virologist and chairman of South Africa’s Ministerial Advisory Committee on Vaccines, during an interview with South African media, said from a biological point, the majority of the mutations are not to the virus’ advantage, some may be lethal to the virus and can stop it from multiplying. He stated various outcomes that may come from these variants. “We are however worried about the variants that make the virus more contagious and more transmissible or infectious. Another issue is if it escapes immunity, there is immunity after being infected or the immunity which the vaccine induces,” said Schoub.
-psiririka@nepc.com.na
Hard at work… Covid-19 testing at the Namibia Institute of Pathology.
Photo: Emmency Nuukala