Ômicron: 4 graphs to understand coronavirus variant

Countries have been taking a series of measures to try to stop the spread of a new strain of the new coronavirus.

Omicron was classified as a “concern variant”. Early evidence suggests that it poses an increased risk of reinfection.

The variant was detected in South Africa earlier this month and reported to the WHO (World Health Organization) last Wednesday (24).

Omicron is responsible for the majority of infections found in South Africa’s most populous province, Gauteng, in the past two weeks. The number of cases “appears to be increasing in almost every province” of the country, according to the WHO.

But South Africa’s health minister says “there is absolutely no need to panic.”

“We’ve been in this position before,” added Joe Phaahla, referring to the beta variant detected in South Africa last December.

The omicron has also been detected in other countries, as nations close their borders to travelers from southern Africa to try to stop the virus from entering.

At the same time, immunization programs are accelerating the application of booster doses in an attempt to prevent severe cases and deaths.

For its part, China said it will distribute 1 billion doses of immunization agents to African countries to try to increase local vaccination levels.

The inequality between rich and poor countries in immunization against the coronavirus has been widely criticized and a point of concern among experts.

But why does Ômicron worry? How is it detected?

After all, what are these variants and how many are there so far?

BBC News Brasil has prepared the following charts to help answer these and other questions. Check out.

1. Why is Ômicron of concern?

2. What distinguishes the new variant

3. What are variants?

4. The coronavirus variants known so far