Posted on 12/15/2021 7:40:16 AM PST by House Atreides
Researchers testing coronavirus samples in Washington state have recorded a rapid rise in cases with a mutation that is characteristic of the omicron variant, mirroring trends that have emerged in countries like South Africa, Britain and Denmark.
Researchers at the University of Washington found that 13% of 217 positive coronavirus case specimens collected Wednesday had the mutation. That was up from about 7% of samples they had tested from the day before, and 3% from the day before that — in a region that had its first identified cases only two weeks ago.
“It’s clearly looking like it’s rising really quickly,” said Dr. Pavitra Roychoudhury, a researcher at the University of Washington.
Roychoudhury cautioned that the relatively small sample sizes provided only a limited window into the variant’s trajectory. But even so, she said, the results add to worries that omicron may be highly transmissible.
As omicron spreads around the globe, scientists have seen evidence that the variant can partially evade existing immune defenses. But they are still trying to determine how often the variant causes severe disease.
Dr. Trevor Bedford, who studies the spread and evolution of viruses at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, said the omicron numbers are still too small to have a large impact on overall case numbers, but he said that would likely change by next week as it continues to displace the virulent delta version of the virus.
“There is an inevitable very large wave of omicron,” Bedford said. “It’s going to happen.”
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.com ...
So LAST MONDAY’S samples were 3% Omicron, LAST TUESDAY’S were 7% Omicron and LAST WEDNESDAY’S were 13%. Based upon the experience in South Africa and the UK, we will likely see this rapid expansion continue and most of the cases to be mild.
Washington State’s detailed monitoring is much better/quicker than most other states’ monitoring so I would expect these trends to be also occurring in other states and will be confirmed by later testing.
There’s been ONE death from Omicron worldwide. So, “so what”?
This is VERY likely coming out of UW’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) who was very early out the gate 2 years ago with ridiculous projections about near-term projected Covid deaths in the US.
Rumor has it, a recipient of some large sums of money from Bill Gates.... I wouldn’t trust that place or UW as far as I could throw them....
I wonder how many people that have tested positive for it even know that they have it.
Huck the Fuskies. Go Cougars.
Seattle Slimes. Must be true.
Its very contagious. Those organizations with comprehensive screening programs will see a huge uptake in “positive” cases. If they follow their existing protocols there will be huge disruptions because of this variant which so far seems to cause only a very mild illness. The hyper woke NFL will soon have so many cases, that it is doubtful that they will have credible squads for the playoffs and the Super Bowl. with so much money at stake it will be amusing to watch the owners scramble and squirm.
and if they stop testing it would be nothing ?
There’s been ONE death from Omicron worldwide. So, “so what”?
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CORRECTION: There’s been one death WITH Omicron not FROM Omicron.
So, so what? I say let ‘er rip! Final herd immunity and transition to endemic status beckons.
What Gaffer said.
Pure fear-mongering bs.
Gotta keep the fear porn flowing and keep the idiots, fools and obsessive compulsive among us occupied.
Those types are addicted to fear porn. They can never get enough of the drama and mental masturbation it provides for them.
If only they would make the mask mandate permanent......
Not the Cougars they fired the head coach.
Lots of people are catching the sniffles this winter - and the vaccinations don’t seem to do any good - what a tragedy.
Apparently nobody has ever heard of margin of error. A sample size of 217 has a MOE of +/-6.65.
This means it cannot be said that the rise is a true increase and not just a sampling error.
Not surprising to see a “journalist” is unaware of anything math related, but the “scientists” know better, so they are just lying.
DOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED
Too early. Everybody’s talking and pretending but no one knows anything yet.
“… This means it cannot be said that the rise is a true increase and not just a sampling error.…”
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Well, time will QUICKLY tell us, won’t it.
How are the samples being tested?
Genomic testing or the WAG method using PRC?
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