QCOSTARICA – The Ministry of Health reported Monday that the epidemiological investigation associated with the case of the minor identified with Omicron registers three positive cases for COVID-19 related.
It is about another minor and two adults, the three cases culminated their isolation, so it is concluded that the minor would not be the index case, but one of those cases previously was and that today cannot be subject to the genomic analysis.
Read more: First case of Omicron variant confirmed in Costa Rica
“Of the two positive adults, one has a complete vaccination schedule and the other incomplete (one dose). In addition, there are six suspicious contacts who are followed up, four of whom have presented symptoms,” Salud added in a press release.
In addition, there are six suspicious contacts who are followed up, four of whom have presented symptoms.
All the people are stable and have not required hospitalization.
Health authorities are emphatic in that it is highly probable that, as in other countries, new cases of Ómicron exist and arise in Costa Rica, in this line they reiterate the prevention measures: ventilated spaces, proper use of the mask, washing of hands, added to the vaccination process.
Expert warns that omicron is contagious “five times faster” after detection in the country and that the symptoms caused by this mutation of the virus are very similar to those of a common cold.
“The original variant required us to have contact (with an infected person) for 15 minutes, Delta for three minutes, perhaps, indoors; Omicron, at this moment, has five times the contagion speed than the Delta, so how long is the time? Probably, two people greeting each other frontally can end up infected,” explained Roberto Salvatierra, epidemiologist at the Universidad Hispanoamericana.
In other countries, the Omicron variant has been seen to multiply exponentially. Therefore, in the coming weeks, an increase in cases could be seen in Costa Rica.
“Although the lethality, the attack and the number of people who end up hospitalized by Omicron is very low, in reality, mainly in countries with high levels of vaccination, we could expect many cases of this variant, which could increase exponentially as we have seen in other latitudes,” added the expert.
