Omicron 70 times more contagious but less severe than Delta: study

The Omicron variant infects around 70 times faster than Delta and the original Covid-19 strain, though the severity of illness is likely to be much lower, according to a University of Hong Kong study.

The study resonates with the early on-ground observations from South African doctors where the Omicron variant was first detected.

The study also found that Omicron replicates less efficiently more than 10 times lower in the human lung tissue than the original strain which may signal lower severity of disease.

Also watch: Omicron is probably in most countries, warns WHO chief

However, the researchers said that by infecting many more people, a very infectious virus may cause more severe disease and death even though the virus itself may be less pathogenic.

With scientists racing to determine how transmissible, virulent and evasive omicron is, it has already traveled to at least 77 nations within three weeks of being first detected.