Real-world data shows that the Omicron wave’s covid mortality rates were only 25% lower than those seen in previous surges.
Researchers examined records of 450 patients hospitalised in the City of Tshwane since the extremely-transmissible variant took off in the country.
The survival rate of these patients was then compared to nearly 4,000 people who were hospitalized earlier in the pandemic.
Only 4.5 percent of Covid patients who were hospitalized in the past month succumbed to the disease. Comparatively, this rate was around 21.3% in the Pandemic.
The findings, in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases, also revealed ICU admissions were a quarter of the rate seen in previous waves, and patients’ average hospital stay was halved.
The City of Tshwane is an authority situated in Gauteng — the first province to fall victim to Omicron.
The research was conducted by scientists who claimed it showed a ‘decoupling’ of deaths, hospitalisations and cases compared to the previous waves.
According to the team, Omicron could signal the end of darkest days and usher in an endemic phase.
As Omicron’s wave continues to sweep South Africa, the number of cases of Covid is continuing to decline. Omicron was the initial to strike the nation. The average number of cases in South Africa reached 23437 in seven days. However, Monday saw a drop of 38 percent to 14,390 cases.
The latest study involved patients who were younger than expected, and this may have affected the final results.
However, the University of Pretoria and South Africa’s National Institute of Communicable Diseases are not the only ones to find the virus milder.
Similar studies in the UK, South Africa and elsewhere have shown that people who are afflicted by the strain are less likely to need hospitalization.
This is however the first comprehensive examination of Omicron-related deaths.
The study also revealed that only 1% of patients were transferred to intensive care, as opposed to the 4.3 percent in previous waves.
Patients were released from the hospital after just four days, in comparison to the nine that was reported at the outbreak.
The records of the 98 hospitalized patients at peak hospital admissions were also reviewed by the experts.
The City of Tshwane admissions ‘peaked’ and ‘decreased rapidly’ in 33 days. Only half of the hospital beds were taken at once. The peak of the Delta wave saw almost all the beds at hospitals occupied.
One-third of Covid patients were hospitalized because of the virus. Others were admitted to treat other conditions.
According to the researchers, this amount of incidental Covid was not seen anywhere else in South Africa. It’most probably reflects high levels Omicron infections in the community and high vaccination coverage.
According to the team, around two-thirds (or more) of Tshwane residents have been either vaccinated/infected.
The higher incidence of Omicron admissions might also reflect the strain’s inherent severity, however more research is needed to prove this hypothesis.
Similar patient and mortality findings are likely to emerge across South Africa — but ‘may differ’ in countries where vaccination and previous infection rates are lower, they said.
According to the study, Omicron had completely replaced Delta within three weeks. However, cases and hospitalizations reached their peak in five weeks.
It stated that there were ‘clear indications’ that both admissions and infections in South Africa would decline over the coming weeks.
The wave of Omicron appearing to burn out itself appears to continue after South Africa has lost more Covid cases.
Omicron struck the Philippines first, and it reached its peak during the 7 days leading up to December 17th. An average of 23,437 Omicron-related cases was recorded.
On Monday however, this number dropped by 38% to 14,390.
These figures represent the average of seven days. This makes them more reliable that fluctuating daily statistics. However, people tend to move to rural areas from large cities in South Africa around Christmas, when they have a lower chance of getting tested.