It is false that the South African government has questioned the existence of the omicron variant

It is false that the South African government has informed that the new omicron variant of the coronavirus does not exist, and that the increase in hospitalization identified in the country is the result of a reaction to the spike protein, present in vaccines, as stated in a post disseminated by WhatsApp. In fact, as verified by Project Comprova, in a statement published on the government’s official website, President Cyril Ramaphosa claims that South African scientists have identified the new strain.

Heard by Comprova, virologist Flávio da Fonseca also claims that the idea that the increase in cases and hospitalizations in South Africa is caused by the spike protein is false. As health agencies and scientists have explained and Fonseca reinforces, the symptoms are caused by the virus’ RNA.

Contrary to what the content states, Sars-CoV-2 exists, was isolated and had its genome sequenced in several countries, including universities and Brazilian research centers. The disease arises from a group of known viruses —the coronaviruses—, which have caused other epidemics in the past, such as those in Sars and Mers in the last two decades. According to the Brazilian Ministry of Health, Sars-CoV-2 is the seventh coronavirus to be proven to infect humans.

Variants are new versions of the virus that have undergone some mutation during the replication process within the host’s body. In the case of omicron, as announced by the WHO (World Health Organization), it has several mutations in relation to Sars-CoV-2 originally found in Wuhan, China.

Preliminary data indicate that the strain may facilitate reinfection of individuals, which led to it being classified as a variant of concern. Researchers are still trying to find out whether omicron mutations make it more transmissible or induce more severe conditions among those infected.

Comprova considered the content false because it was invented.

How do we check?

First, we searched the South African government website for the country’s position in relation to the omicron variant. We also interviewed experts to understand if it was possible that the admissions were triggered by a reaction to the vaccines.

We seek information on the websites of health authorities such as the World Health Organization, the Brazilian Ministry of Health and Fiocruz (Oswaldo Cruz Foundation) to understand what are variants of a virus and what these bodies say about them.

In addition, we interviewed the microbiologist, virologist and president of the Brazilian Society of Virology, Flávio da Fonseca, about the mutations that make up the omicron and about the spike protein, mentioned in the verified content.

Verification

South Africa and omicron

In a statement released Nov. 28, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said earlier that week South African scientists identified a new variant of the coronavirus that causes Covid-19.

The Chief Executive said that this new strain was called omicron, being classified as a “concern variant” by the WHO. He also added that it has more mutations than the other previously identified variants.

“The early identification of this variant is a result of the excellent work done by our scientists in South Africa and a direct result of the investment that our Health and Science and Innovation departments have made in our genomic surveillance capacity,” celebrated Ramaphosa.

Spike protein

In addition to denying the existence of the omicron, the checked content invents that “it is a reaction of the human body with spike proteins contained in vaccines, there is no virus”. As already informed by Comprova in a previous verification, the aforementioned protein is exclusive to Sars-CoV-2, is on its surface and is the part that connects the virus to human cells at the beginning of the infection.

The omicron variant has a mutation with 50 genetic changes in total. Of these, 32 are in the spike protein of the virus. These alterations are details in the virus genome that, when multiplying in the infected human body, can undergo these changes.

Comprova contacted virologist Flávio da Fonseca to analyze the verified content. “This information is completely incorrect, false and without scientific basis”, says Fonseca.

Flávio explains the procedure used to detect a new mutation: “When a new variant is detected, it is not detected by protein S. The virus genome is isolated and the mutations are detected there, not in the protein. Although they are affected, the method detection is not done through them”.

The virologist also points out that the symptoms caused by the Covid-19 infection (regardless of which variant it is) are a result of the human body’s contact with the viral RNA that is affecting it, not due to the vaccine.

Ômicron is variant

In an article on its website, Fiocruz explains that when a virus replicates inside the body of an organism, there is a possibility of errors in replication, which are called mutations. The more a virus circulates, as Sars-CoV-2 did when it spreads across all continents, the greater the chances that it will mutate, as it is replicating more and more within multiple individuals.

Variants are, therefore, viruses that have undergone one or more mutations in part of their genetic makeup. In general, these changes have no impact on the virus’s ability to cause infection or disease. Until June of this year, when the Fiocruz text was published, more than a thousand variants of the coronavirus had already been identified worldwide. The problem happens when, during these mutations, the virus becomes more transmissible or capable of causing more serious illnesses. These are called “concern variants”.

The World Health Organization classified variant B.1.1.529 as a worry variant last November 26, giving it the name omicron. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the use of Greek letters to represent variants was adopted to facilitate discussion with non-scientific audiences. Therefore, other variants of concern were identified as alpha, beta, gamma, and delta.

Initially identified by genomic surveillance in South Africa, but already present in other countries, omicron has a “vast number of mutations, some of which are of concern”, according to the WHO. “Preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant in relation to others”, indicates the entity.

In the latest WHO communiqué, dated 28 November, it is said that it is still unclear whether omicron is more communicable or could make the disease more severe, although the number of infections and hospitalizations is on the rise in the South African provinces. where the variant is circulating. Studies have been conducted to determine these risks.

Although still limited, early data indicate that people who have already been infected are more likely to develop the disease again with omicrons. WHO has been working to identify the impact of the new variant on those vaccinated against Covid-19. “Vaccines continue to play a critical role in reducing severe cases and deaths, including in relation to the currently dominant variant, delta”, says the entity.

The virus

Sars-CoV-2, which causes Covid-19, is a virus of the coronavirus family, capable of causing respiratory diseases in humans, which can range from colds to lethal cases. Viruses from this family had already caused the outbreaks of Sars (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) in 2003 and of Mers (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) in 2012. According to the Ministry of Health, this is the seventh coronavirus known to infect humans.

The virus was initially isolated from a human disease outbreak in Wuhan Province, China, in December 2019, which explains the name Covid-19, which comes from “coronavirus disease 2019”, or “coronavirus disease of 2019” in Portuguese.

The first analyzes already showed that Sars-CoV-2 was genetically very similar to the coronaviruses found in bats and, at the same time, it was well adapted to the receptors of human cells, which allowed it to easily invade them, infecting people.

Since the WHO declared the disease a pandemic in March 2020, Sars-CoV-2 has not only been identified but its genome sequenced by independent researchers around the world. In Brazil, Fiocruz, USP (University of São Paulo) and Unifesp (Federal University of São Paulo) were some of the institutions that mapped the genetic code of the virus.

Why do we investigate?

In its fourth phase, Comprova checks suspicious content about the pandemic, public policies of the federal government and the 2022 elections that have gone viral on social networks.

When the content is about the new coronavirus, its verification is even more necessary, since misinformation can lead people to put themselves at risk of contamination or to avoid immunization strategies, such as vaccines, considered by health authorities as the main instrument for contain the spread of the virus.

The verified content was suggested by readers of Comprova via WhatsApp, where it circulated. Suggestions like this can be made by calling (11) 97045-4984, or by clicking on this link. The same content was considered false by Aos Fatos and Boatos.org.

Recently, Comprova published checks showing how misinformation tries to undermine confidence in vaccines. He showed, for example, that a doctor spreads an unfounded thesis that vaccinated people are dangerous and must be isolated; that mass vaccination did not increase the Covid mortality rate, different from what the physician claims; and that an anti-vaccination activist spreads rumors about stroke in pilots and abortion in lecture.

False, for Comprova, is content that has been invented or has been edited to change its original meaning and deliberately disclosed to spread a lie.

Comprova performed this verification based on information available on December 2nd of 2021.