From what I have read, omicron was originally a unique variant that inevitably occurred in one of the people in South Africa, where many people cannot tolerate vaccines and so become a giant breeding ground for variants.
When the breeding ground accidentally produced a virus of extreme contagiousness, it took over all the others.
All mutants have been described as coming from the original virus, not from further lab creations.
I’m not an expert in the science, but this is what I see as I try to keep up with the covid news.
Where did you get that? It's not that people from S. Africa (or anywhere in Africa) cannot tolerate vaccines, a larger percentage of people from Africa are far more wary of vaccines than in most first world countries. Big difference.
Back in very late 2019/early 2020 the initial covid cases, outside of China, were in Italy. There is a large population of Chinese in Italy (estimates say over 300k) mostly for the work in garment factories. They go home to family in China for the Chinese new year.
There are Chinese everywhere...a perfect means to move an emerging virus around.
The story I’ve seen multiple times is that it actually appeared in vaccinated visitor’s to SA, not indigenous…
Cue this video up at 36.50 and get the low down on Omicron.
https://media.livecast365.com/highwire/thehighwire/content/1639704569205.mp4