Early indicators from South Africa suggest the Omicron wave may be milder

Analysis finds a smaller proportion of deaths, and a much smaller fraction of supplemental oxygenation requirement, than in previous waves

Two weeks since the in the Gauteng province of South Africa, it appears that the variant is linked to a smaller proportion of deaths than previous waves of the . Also, a much smaller fraction of those admitted required supplemental oxygenation than in the earlier three waves, according to an analysis of patient records by researchers at the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC).

Though yet early, and with a caveat that the situation may change “significantly in the next two weeks ahead”, according to Fareed Abdullah, author of the analysis, “The main observation that we have made over the last two weeks is that the majority of patients in the COVID wards have not been oxygen dependent.”