Hong Kong: Scientists at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) have become the first in Asia to succeed in isolating the new Omicron coronavirus variant from clinical samples, the university said.
“Researchers at the Department of Microbiology at The University of Hong Kong have succeeded in the isolation of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant from clinical specimens. This is the first known research team in Asia that has succeeded in isolating the Omicron variant,” the HKU said in a statement.
Following the isolation of the variant, scientists will now be able to develop vaccines against Omicron, which was classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a variant of concern.
Scientists at HKU succeeded in isolating the variant on Monday night, four days after the first two Omicron cases were confirmed in Hong Kong on November 25. The team of researchers is now conducting experiments on the variant’s transmissibility, immune evasion capability and pathogenicity.
So far, Hong Kong recorded three Omicron cases.
The new coronavirus variant was first reported to the WHO by South Africa last week. According to the WHO, its high number of mutations in spike protein could make it more transmissible and dangerous than all previous strains.
