Two suspected cases of Omicron infection investigated in Finland – both had foreign contacts
Two cases of coronavirus disease are being investigated in Finland; the Omicron variant is suspected in both. In both cases the infected person has had foreign contacts.
Local officials have ordered the infected persons to be kept in isolation and their contacts are being traced.
To confirm what variant is involved, samples of the suspected Omicron variant will be sequenced. Getting the result will take a few days.
In the two cases that were identified, the suspicion of a viral variant involves a PCR test result in which a deletion was identified in the S gene. Corresponding deletions have also been seen in other coronavirus variants.
Potential for spread of viral variant is being studied
The first observations of the Omicron variant were made in South Africa and Botswana as well as Hong Kong. Cases have now been found in many different countries, including European countries.
“We are now examining the potential that the new variant might have for spreading globally. It is also not known if the new variant is capable of bypassing the immune protection given by coronavirus vaccinations, or by having had the disease”, says Carita Savolainen-Kopra, leading expert at THL.
The emergence of virus variants is very common, and is part of the normal rotation of viruses. Variants can spread and displace earlier forms of the virus or be overcome by other variants, as has been seen multiple times also during the coronavirus pandemic. The World Health Organisation has added the Omicron variant to its variant of concern (VOC) list for monitoring.
Further information
Carita Savolainen-Kopra
leading expert
THL
[email protected]
