Omicron variant strain is more likely to attack the upper respiratory tract compared with the previous neocoronavirus strain, and is characterized by a high mutation rate, rapid transmission, high virulence, short incubation period, a significant decrease in the rate of severe illness, and the vulnerability of vaccinated persons to infection.
1. Compared with the original Neocoronavirus, Omicronavirus is more likely to attack the upper respiratory tract, causing cough, runny nose and other manifestations of upper sensation, but this does not mean that Omicronavirus does not attack the lungs.
2. A December 2021 study showed that Omicron has 32 mutation sites for the S-protein (the protein that connects Neoconavirus to the ACE2 receptor in the host cell), compared to two mutation sites for the Delta strain and three mutation sites for the Beta strain, which have ravaged the world.
3. Studies have shown that the omicron variant strain spreads through the bronchial tubes 70 times faster than the delta strain as well as existing strains, and is three to four times more virulent than the delta strain.
4. The incubation period of the Delta mutant strain is about four days, and that of the original mutant strain is about five days, whereas patients with omicron may develop symptoms two to three days after infection.
5. It has been documented that patients with omicron remain infected even after vaccination, but the degree of infection is less severe than with the original and Delta strains. Overall, patients infected with omicron are more likely to be mildly ill, while critically ill patients are mainly those with underlying medical conditions, or children or the elderly with low resistance.