this is the covid variant that has put the world on alert

The evolution of the Omicron BF.7 from covid continues to wreak havoc in China and has the international community on tenterhooks. The wave of contagions has forced countries such as Spain e Italy to order negative tests or the pattern of complete vaccination for travelers coming from the Asian country.

This latest variant of the virus has a contagion rate higher than the previous ones, reaching triple to the first strain of Omicron. Likewise, the periods of incubation are shorter and the probability of relapse higher than in other subvariants.

Faster and more resistant

The sublining of the BA.5 seems to be behind the explosion of contagions that suffers China for weeks now, and which has forced the population of the Asian country to lock themselves in their homes. If there is one thing that distinguishes Omicron BF.7 of the previous variants is its brief incubation period and its fast transmission. Despite causing the same symptoms as other types of coronaviruses (fever, headache and muscle pain, fatigue and mucus) new infections note earlier the pathology of the virus. In turn, the ability to relapses after passing the disease is also higher.

As reported in the newspaper Heraldo, the 5,7 % of new infections detected in Spain up to December 10 are caused by BF.7.

Uncertainty and prevention

As announced this Friday by the Minister of Health. Carolina Dariasnegative tests or the complete vaccination schedule will be requested at the beginning of the year. travelers arriving at Spanish airports from China. This is a precautionary measure similar to that taken by other countries such as Italy, and which Health will try to promote at the level of European level to require the covid certificate to these people.

For its part, the opacity of the data issued by the Government of Peking is an added difficulty in assessing the magnitude real magnitude of the situation, which is expected to evolve with “new mutations”as stated by the epidemiologist Antoni Trilla in an interview for TV3.