We are monitoring situation, players safety paramount: BCCI Treasurer says on India’s tour of S Africa where a new COVID-19 variant is found.
The National Department of Health of South Africa declared that “a new variant of the COVID-19 virus has been discovered in South Africa.” Subsequently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) called SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.529 as a “variant of concern”. The new coronavirus variant has been named ‘Omicron’. “BCCI is closely monitoring the situation.
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) treasurer Arun Dhumal on Saturday confirmed that the Indian cricket board is strictly monitoring the situation in South Africa, and would take a call on sending the cricket team prioritizing the health and safety of players.
India is scheduled to tour South Africa for a three-match Test series, three-match One-Day International series, and four T20I games.
“We will see close to the travel what needs to be done. Operation teams are in touch with each other and whatever decision has to be taken, it will be keeping in mind the health and safety of the players,” Dhumal said.
He added, “If there is a need for that (postponing the tour) we will look in to it. ‘India A’ team is already there so we are closely watching and with regard to the senior team we will take a call.”
Currently, India A team is in Bloemfontein for a three four-day matches series. When asked whether BCCI will call India A team back owing to the outbreak of coronavirus, Dhumal said the team is safe in a bio-bubble environment. However, he hinted that if the situation takes a turn for the worse, they would make arrangements to bring India A team back. “They (India A) are in a secure bio-bubble as of now. They are all safe, but if need be then a decision would be taken,” Dhumal affirmed.
The WHO classified Omicron, which has been found in South Africa, Hong Kong, Israel and Botswana, as a “highly transmissible virus of concern” and in a bid to contain the threat from the new COVID-19 variant, countries around the world are imposing travel bans. Omicron has hit other international sporting events too, with the FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup 2021 put on hold.
The premier event was scheduled to take place in Potchefstroom, South Africa between December 5 and 16. The bilateral three-match One-Day International series between the Netherlands and South Africa too has been deferred. The International Cricket Council announced that the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2021 in Harare has been called off due to the travel restrictions from a number of African countries, including the host country Zimbabwe, following the outbreak of a new COVID-19 variant in Southern Africa.
Omicron Covid variant: What do we know about risks, symptoms, tests
The WHO said on Friday that Omicron, named after a letter in the Greek alphabet, was first reported to it from South Africa on November 24 and the first known confirmed infection was from a specimen collected on November 9.
Several countries are pushing to contain the spread of Omicron and have banned flights from South African countries even as stock markets and oil prices plunged on fears surrounding the variant, potentially dealing a heavy blow to the global economic recovery.
What are the risks associated with the Omicron variant?
Scientists have said the omicron variant appears to have a high number of mutations — about 30 — in the coronavirus’ spike protein, which could affect how easily it spreads to people.
The WHO, which gathered a meeting of a group of experts on Friday to evaluate the data, said that “preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant,” as compared to other variants. “The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all provinces in South Africa,” the health body said.
What are the symptoms of the Omicron variant?
South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has said that “currently no unusual symptoms have been reported following infection with the B.1.1.529 variant.”
NICD also said that as with other infectious variants such as Delta, some of those infected with the omicron variant of the coronavirus are asymptomatic.
Will the same tests detect Omicron?
According to the WHO, current SARS-CoV-2 PCR diagnostics continue to detect this variant. “Several labs have indicated that for one widely used PCR test, one of the three target genes is not detected (called S gene dropout or We are monitoring situation BCCI say for S. Africa’s new COVID-19 variantS gene target failure) and this test can therefore be used as a marker for this variant, pending sequencing confirmation,” it said in the statement.
Precautions:
People should continue to follow measures to reduce their risk of COVID-19, including wearing well-fitting masks, following hand sanitizer hygiene and physical distancing, improving the ventilation of indoor spaces, avoiding crowded spaces, and getting vaccinated.