Israeli doctor infected with Omicron: Only 1 person positive among dozens close contact to him

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Israeli doctor infected with Omicron: Only 1 person positive among dozens close contact to him

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Israeli doctor infected with Omicron: Only 1 person positive among dozens close contact to him. 

According to a report of the World Health Organization on December 1, since the South African Ministry of Health first reported the new strain of the new coronavirus Omicron on November 24, at least 23 countries around the world have reported cases of Omicron infection.

According to the sequencing results, Omicron has more than 30 mutations in the spike protein (S protein) region alone, which means that it may be more infectious than other known variants.

But on December 1, the New York Times reported the story of Dr. Elad Maor, the third case of Omicron infection in Israel.

Three days before his diagnosis, he attended large conferences, listened to piano recitals, performed operations on 10 patients, and had dinner with more than a dozen family members.

But so far, only a 70-year-old colleague has tested positive for the Omicron variant.

“If I have not been vaccinated, I may be sent to the hospital”

Elad Maor believes he was infected in London.

On November 19, Elad Maor, an associate professor of cardiology at Tel Aviv University in Israel, flew to London.

Two days later, he underwent two PCR tests for COVID-19 pneumonia, and the results were all negative.

From the 21st to the 23rd, he participated in a large-scale academic conference on interventional treatment of valvular heart disease in London.

The daily commuting tools are the subway and light rail. According to Elad Maor’s recall, many people did not wear masks, whether on the subway or at the indoor academic conference with about 1,200 people.

On November 24, Elad Maor returned to Tel Aviv, the capital of Israel, and performed the third PCR test, which was also negative.

Until the diagnosis, Elad Maor maintained a normal pace of work and life in Israel. On the 27th, the fourth PCR test result was positive.

Surprisingly, his wife went to London with him, but the current test result is negative and there are no symptoms.

Most of the other people in close contact with Elad Maor are medical staff or their close family members.

At least 50 people have undergone PCR testing at the medical center, at least 10 people have been tested 3 times, and only one 70-year-old colleague tested positive. .

Elad Maor’s close contacts are basically vaccinated, and some people have recently received a third “booster shot”.

Regarding the preliminary test results, the head of the epidemiology department of the medical center said that such results tell us that in some cases, if vaccinated, Omicron may not be so infectious.

And Elad Maor also told The New York Times that he has completed 3 doses of vaccination, does not smoke, and does not have any chronic diseases.

A few days before the diagnosis, he was isolated at home and began to develop a fever, with symptoms of sore throat and muscle aches, but he started to get better this Wednesday afternoon. “If I have not been vaccinated, I may end up being sent to the hospital.” Elad Maor said.

At the same time, Elad Maor believes that although he is not sure how and when he was infected, he is sure that the infection occurred in the UK.

According to the British “Guardian” report, the Omicron variant was already in Europe long before the “alert” was issued in South Africa.

The Ministry of Health of the Netherlands stated in a statement on November 30 that the Omicron coronavirus variant was found in two test samples collected on November 19 and 23 in the Netherlands, but it is not clear whether these people have visited Southern Africa.

Germany also said this week that they found a man infected with Omicron who had neither been abroad nor had contact with anyone who had been abroad.

Elad Maor is also the first case in Israel that has no travel connection with southern Africa.

Current vaccines VS. Omicron strain

On November 30, Brazilian media reported that a variant of Omicron appeared in Brazil. This means that Omicron already exists in all continents except Antarctica.

Currently, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal… many countries have banned flights from southern Africa.

Israel and Japan reacted more strongly. On the 27th, Israel announced that all foreign citizens will be prohibited from entering the country for at least 14 days.

The day before yesterday (December 1) , Japan reported the second case of Omicron infection.

The Japanese government required airlines to stop accepting all international flight bookings destined for Japan before the end of December.

According to the latest update of the Omicron strain on the official website of the World Health Organization, it is unclear whether Omicron is more contagious than other variants, including the Delta strain, and whether it will cause more serious diseases.

Although there is still a lack of more data, due to the strong mutation of Omicron, the World Health Organization called it a “mutable strain of concern” and warned on November 29 that despite many uncertainties, it brought global The risk is “very high”.

The next day, the World Health Organization recommended that unvaccinated people over 60, sick or at potential health risk, “should be advised to postpone travel.”

Although early cases in South Africa show that Omicron may only cause mild illness. But experts warn that don’t believe these “mild” reports too much, because relevant data are still scarce. “Preliminary evidence suggests that compared with other worrying variants, the risk of secondary infection with Omicron may increase.” The World Health Organization stated on its website.

In terms of vaccines, according to a report by the Associated Press, Moderna executives said on November 30 that the existing vaccines may not be as effective against Omicron, but how much specific efficacy will decrease, scientists are still studying , Still need to wait for more data.

American infectious disease expert Fauci also said that it will take about two weeks for scientists to come to a conclusion about the extent to which existing vaccines can fight Omicron.

But Fauci still urges people to inject booster shots, which he believes may provide additional protection against severe illness. “If you have not been vaccinated, go for it. If you are vaccinated, go for a booster shot and continue to use preventive methods. Wear a mask and avoid crowded places, especially in confined spaces.”

It is worth mentioning that the Greek government announced on Tuesday that people aged 60 and over must be vaccinated against the COVID-19. Those who fail to book the first dose of vaccine before January 16, 2022 will face a fine of 100 euros.

references:
1.An Israeli doctor with Omicron met dozens of people. Just one tested positive. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/01/world/middleeast/israel-omicron-surgeon.html?searchResultPosition=1
2. “Regarding Omicron-coronavirus variants, our current known and unknown key issues”, https://cn.nytimes.com/health/20211201/omicron-coronavirus-variant/
3.Omicron Covid variant present in Europe at least 10 days ago, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/30/omicron-covid-variant-present-in-europe-at-least-10- days-ago

Israeli doctor infected with Omicron: Only 1 person positive among dozens close contact to him

(source:internet, reference only)

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