Singapore Ministry of Health advises P.C.R. and A.R.T. Tests for early detection of Omicron Variant

Suggestions by Singapore’s Ministry of Health claim that the Omicron variant of Covid-19 is probably more transmissible. It also possesses a higher degree risk of re-infection when compared to Delta and Beta variants of the Coronavirus.

The city officials reported that a 37-year-old already vaccinated and a permanent president of Singapore was found preliminary positive along with two other cases that had landed here from South Africa on the 1st of December.

The Ministry of Health (M.O.H.) states they are engaged in getting first-hand information from experts in affected countries. Singapore has reported 552 new Covid-19 cases and 13 deaths linked to the same.

M.O.H. has claimed the existing vaccine still probably works on the Omicron variant, especially in helping control the further deterioration of people infected by the same. The Ministry has also urged eligible persons to get vaccinated and take booster jabs, too, as they feel in doing so the general public will be protected against existing or any either variants of the Covid-19 rising in the future.

M.O.H. has added the symptoms displayed by Omicron cases are mild, and no deaths from the variant have been reported so far; the symptoms include sore throat, tiredness, and cough.

Even in South Africa, it’s mostly the younger population that has been hospitalized due to Omicron-related infections. It could be the high infection rate over the overall population, or the persons hospitalized for non-Covid-19 related diseases could have been infected in the hospital itself.

Singapore M.O.H. has claimed that studies have shown antigen rapid test with Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test, when done together, are most effective in detecting Coronavirus and Omicron variants. Hence, testing will help in the early detection and containment of the virus.

M.O.H. has further assured that they are coordinating globally with the health authorities of other countries in studying and understanding the Omicron variant, which would help in putting a proper end to the threat.

M.O.H. has updated about two more preliminary positive cases on Thursday; immediate action was taken by isolating the passengers so that they do not interact with the community, thus containing the Omicron variant; both the passengers were completely vaccinated and claimed mild symptoms of cough and itchy throat.

Meanwhile, the third case from Johannesburg on the 29th of November was tested negative for Covid-19, when his PCR tests showed negative, but he developed a fever on the 4th of December and was taken to National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID). He tested positive for the Omicron variant, as stated by M.O.H. officials.

The National Public Health Laboratory is researching the whole genome sequencing to confirm the variant of the third affected person who is currently recovering in an isolation ward at the NCID, where he was not allowed to interact with anyone in the community.

A total of 2,69,211 Covid-19 cases have been reported in Singapore as of Sunday, and Coronavirus linked deaths since the beginning of the pandemic last year are numbered to 759.