He and his team were stunned by the number of mutations. They felt they'd made a contribution by alerting the world to a dangerous variant. Then came the travel bans for residents of southern Africa.
A new study from the University of Hong Kong offers preliminary information that could explain why this new coronavirus variant may be more transmissible.
Data from 78,000 South Africans with COVID show the Pfizer vaccine is far less effective in preventing infection by the omicron variant. But there is still significant protection from severe illness.
The variant has spread through South Africa with remarkable speed — and been detected in at least 60 other countries. Specialists are trying to figure out the next stage for this unwelcome variant.
Vaccine and booster side effects can include fever, aches and fatigue. And this may be the first vaccine in history where people complain if they don't experience side effects, says one doctor.
Jacqueline Muna Musiitwa was planning for her mom to fly from Zambia to the U.S. for Christmas. Ever-changing travel bans are making it seem like a holiday dream that won't come true.
In small studies in South Africa and in Germany, the results indicate a marked decrease in the ability of vaccines to neutralize this variant. But there are other findings that are encouraging.
The variant is bringing out the worst in some Western governments and global media outlets, says Dr. Ifeanyi Nsofor, a global health advocate in Nigeria.
A new report from the World Health Organization contains some encouraging numbers but also cause for concern, with both cases and deaths on the upswing last year. The pandemic is just one reason.
More than 400 people who died of COVID were secretly interred in a mass grave on the outskirts of the city of Iquitos. Families are demanding a proper burial for their loved ones.
The emergence of this new variant of concern has brought a new vocabulary into daily news reports. We asked experts to help define the terms you're being bombarded with.
Hit hard by the pandemic, the Philippines has vaccination rates far lower than neighbors like Vietnam and Cambodia. Here's how the country is trying to up its numbers.
How did this new strain of the coronavirus evolve? Researchers are investigating various possibilities. One leading theory involves ... just one person.
