First Omicron image shows high number of mutations compared to Delta

The first image of Covid variant Omicron shows the high number of mutations it has compared to Delta — and why experts are so worried.

The first image of the new Covid variant Omicron has been produced, showing it has many more mutations than the Delta variant.

The three-dimensional image was produced and published by the prestigious Bambino Gesu hospital in Rome.

“We can clearly see that the Omicron variant presents many more mutations than the Delta variant, concentrated above all in one area of the protein that interacts with human cells”, the team of researchers said in a statement Sunday.

“This does not automatically mean that these variations are more dangerous, just that the virus has further adapted to the human species by generating another variant,” the researchers said.

“Other studies will tell us if this adaptation is neutral, less dangerous or more dangerous,” they added.

Deakin University epidemiologist Professor Catherine Bennett previously told news.com.au the B. 1.1.529 variant, which was first detected in South Africa and Botswana, was a standout for the sheer number of mutations it contains but also for where many of these were located.

“Usually a new variant only has a handful of important mutations,” she said.

While there may be other minor changes, the major ones generally change things like the virus’ transmissibility for example.

In comparison to the handful of major mutations in other variants, the latest version had more than 50 mutations and Prof Bennett said this is “unusual”.

“More than 30 are in the spike region alone,” she said.

Mutations in the spike region are particularly significant because this is where the virus attaches to human cells, it’s also that part of the virus that vaccines focus on.

If the variant is different enough from other previous versions of the virus, our body’s immune system may fail to recognise it or remember how to fight it off, even if the person has been vaccinated or has had Covid before.

The World Health Organisation said in this variant there were at least 10 mutations linked to the receptor-binding domain on the protein spike. This compared to two for Delta or three for Beta.

“The concern is that when you have so many mutations, it can have an impact on how the virus behaves,” World Health Organisation technical lead on Covid-19, Maria Van Kerkhove, said at a virtual press briefing.

“It will take a few weeks for us to understand what impact this variant has on any potential vaccines.”

Authorities in Africa are working to contain a new variant called Omicron. Picture: Barbara Debout/ AFP

In developing the image of Omicron, the research team focused on the search for mutations in “the three-dimensional structure of the spike protein”, Claudia Alteri, professor of clinical microbiology at Milan State University and a researcher at Bambino Gesu, told AFP.

The image was produced “from the study of the sequences of this new variant made available to the scientific community” coming mainly “from Botswana, South Africa and Hong Kong”.

“This image, which represents a map of all the variations, describes the mutations of Omicron but does not define its role,” she said.

“It will now be important to define through laboratory experiments whether the combination of these mutations can have an impact on transmission or on the effectiveness of vaccines, for example,” she added.

Experts warned of Covid mutation

Experts have been warning for some time that a new Covid-19 mutation resistant to vaccines could emerge within a year if authorities around the world — including Australia — don’t take action.

Only 24 per cent of South Africa’s population is fully vaccinated and the World Health Organisation also expressed concern recently about the low rate of vaccinations among health workers in the region.

The World Health Organisation has criticised wealthy nations for the “self defeating” and “immoral” practice of hoarding Covid-19 vaccines and failing to deliver on promises to share doses with the developing world.

Australia has promised to share 60 million vaccines with its neighbours in the Indo-Pacific by the end of 2022.

But it has only donated around 9.2 million doses, about 15 per cent of what it has promised, Health Minister Greg Hunt told reporters on Monday.

Omicron may be milder than Delta

While the virus may be more contagious, this does not mean it is more dangerous with some experts suggesting those infected with the Omicron variant could experience a milder form of the disease.

“It presents mild disease with symptoms being sore muscles and tiredness for a day or two [and] not feeling well,” Dr Angelique Coetzee told the UK’s Telegraph.

“So far, we have detected that those infected do not suffer the loss of taste or smell. They might have a slight cough.”

The World Health Organisation on Friday (local time) declared Omicron a variant of concern and many countries including the United States, United Kingdom and Australia have closed their borders to travellers from countries in Africa.

Two cases of Omicron have already been discovered in Australia.

— with AFP