Jordan News

Children may be up to 20 percent more likely to develop complications if they contract the omicron mutant from the coronavirus.

British MP Lily Moran has shared data collected by insurance company Discovery in the House of Commons. The report, which is based on a total of 211,000 positive cases of coronavirus, of which 78,000 were attributed to the omicron variable, found that children were at a higher risk of hospitalization due to complications of omicron infection.

Data on the Omicron outbreak in South Africa showed that people with the new variant had a 29 percent lower risk of hospitalization than in the first wave of the epidemic.

The findings came in the form of reports last week, and indicated critically ill children were filling hospitals in South Africa amid the Omicron outbreak.

Dr Rudo Matewa, head of the intensive care unit at Chris Hani Paragwanath Hospital in Johannesburg, explained that changing demographics means hospitals in the area are filling up rapidly.

A health expert recounted the case of a 15-year-old patient who died after his health deteriorated sharply as a result of being infected with the virus.

Dr Mativa explained that another 17-year-old was taken to the intensive care unit after contracting Covid-related pneumonia.

Experts warn that the strain, known as B.1.1.529, contains many mutations that can spread rapidly.

Omicron contains up to 30 mutations in the spike protein, which the researchers warn may allow it to infect people who are immune to the previous strains.