The recent rebound of the domestic epidemic has caused much concern. Worse still, there is even a heavy bombshell abroad - WHO has officially included the B.1.1.529 variant of SARS-Cov-2 in the VOC (Variant of Concern) list, named Omicron.

WHO officially named the B.1.1.529 variant as Omicron

Where did this variant come from?

The Omicron variant was first reported to the WHO from South Africa on November 24, 2021. The epidemiological situation in South Africa is characterized by three distinct peaks in reported cases, the latest of which was dominated by the Delta variant. In recent weeks, there has been a dramatic increase in infection, coinciding with the detection of the Omicron variant. The first known confirmed Omicron infection came from a specimen collected on November 9, 2021.

The epidemiological characteristics of the South African outbreak indicate severe rebound of the epidemic in recent weeks

Omicron variant appeared in China

In addition to the rapid rebound of the outbreak in South Africa, the Omicron variant has also appeared in China (Hong Kong). On October 22, 2021, a 36-year-old man in Hong Kong tested negative on a PCR and then flew to South Africa on October 23. On November 11, the man took Qatar Airways flight QR818 (via Doha) to return to Hong Kong, being tested negative on a PCR after arriving at the airport. On November 12, the man tested positive on a subsequent PCR (asymptomatic) while in quarantine at the hotel; on November 15, the Hong Kong Department of Health (DH) announced that the man was infected with the "N501Y variant" (actually Omicron). The sequencing records of this strain were uploaded to the GISAID database on November 22.

After confirmation by international experts, it was found that in addition to N501Y, this variant has several threatening amino acid mutations, including mutations in the RBD and NTD structural domains of the stinging protein (immune escape, resistance to neutralizing antibodies), the combination of stinging protein H655Y+N679K+P681H (a triple mutation in the Flavin protease cleavage site that enhances infectivity), 105/107 deletion mutation in the NSP6 non-structural proteins (similar to Alpha/Beta/Gamma/Lambda, possibly enhancing immune escape), and the nucleocapsid protein R203K+G204R mutation (similar to Alpha, Gamma, Lambda, enhancing infectivity). Combined with the information of other virus strains found in South Africa, Pango Team officially named it as novel variant B.1.1.529.

Sequencing information of the variant found in Hong Kong

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