First image of omicron virus released

A group of Italian researchers at the Bambino Gesu hospital in Rome, have produced and published the first image of the new Covid-19 Omicron variant. The three-dimensional “image”, which looks like a map showed that there are more than double the mutations in the Omicron variant than in the Delta variant version of coronavirus.

This first photo of Omicron shows the structure of the spike protein of the Omicron variant, on the right, and of the Delta variant, on the left, compared to the original SARS CoV-2 spike. The red dots indicate the areas with very high variability, the orange ones with high variability, the yellow ones with medium variability, the green ones with low variability, and the celestial ones with low variability.

Meanwhile on November 26, the World Health Organisation (WHO) designated Omicron as a "variant of concern". The B.1.1.529 variant was first reported from South Africa on 24 November.

Amid fear of Omicron covid variant spreading to many countries, the Centre has revised guidelines for international arrivals in India. Passengers travelling from or transiting through 'at-risk countries will have to undergo an RT-PCR test on arrival in India and will be required to wait for the results before leaving the airport or taking a connecting flight. The new rules will come into effect from 1 December till further orders.