Omicron vs Delta: How much less severe is the new variant?

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Omicron Variant Shows Significantly Lower Severity and Death Rates Compared to Delta

Data from South Korea indicates that individuals infected with the Omicron coronavirus variant are approximately 75 per cent less likely to experience severe illness or succumb to the virus when compared to those infected with the Delta variant. This finding emerges from a study analysing infections confirmed since December, which revealed notably lower rates of severity and mortality associated with Omicron.
Omicron Variant's Reduced Severity and Mortality Rates

A comprehensive study conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) examined approximately 67,200 infections. The findings demonstrated that the Omicron variant had an average severity rate of 0.38 per cent and a death rate of 0.18 per cent. In stark contrast, cases attributed to the Delta variant during the same period exhibited higher rates, with severity reaching 1.4 per cent and mortality at 0.7 per cent. These figures underscore a substantial difference in the clinical outcomes between the two variants.
Contributing Factors to Mortality

The KDCA study also highlighted the impact of vaccination status on mortality. Over a five-week period, among the 1,073 individuals who died, approximately 56 per cent were either unvaccinated or had received only a single dose of a vaccine. Furthermore, officials noted that individuals aged 60 and above constituted a significant majority, accounting for 94 per cent of all recorded deaths, indicating a higher vulnerability within this demographic.
South Korea's Vaccination Landscape

South Korea has achieved a high level of vaccination coverage within its population of 52 million. More than 86 per cent of the population has completed their primary vaccination course (double-dosed), and nearly 60 per cent have received a booster shot. This extensive vaccination effort likely contributes to the observed manageable levels of serious cases and deaths despite the surge in infections driven by the highly transmissible Omicron variant.

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Omicron vs Delta: How much less severe is the new variant?

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