Omikron is on the rise – where the spread is currently strongest

Pandemic situation
Already 10,443 Omicron cases in Germany – where the corona variant is spreading fastest

Omikron is still on the rise. Currently, a total of 10,443 Covid 19 cases (as of December 28) are assigned to the Corona variant in Germany. This means that the number of cases has jumped by 45 percent within one day. In addition, a kind of omicron incidence is documented, i.e. the number of infections per 100,000 inhabitants. In calendar week 51, this figure was 7.5; it is currently measured at 0.3. The seven-day incidence, which includes all corona cases, is currently 215.6 (here is the complete overview).

Since less test and reporting activity can be expected during the holidays and at the turn of the year, the officially reported number of cases according to the RKI could only show an incomplete picture of the corona situation in Germany. It is expected that there will be many new and late registrations as a result.

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Omicron distribution in the federal states

North Rhine-Westphalia is particularly affected by the rapidly increasing number of cases. According to the PCR test, 2,872 people are currently suspected of being infected with Omikron. The corona variant has already been detected by sequencing in a further 604 people. But the numbers are also increasing in the other federal states, above all in Bavaria, Hamburg and Baden-Württemberg.

_{* The overview is based on the reports submitted to the RKI and are subject to possible subsequent changes, as of December 28th.
** Increase compared to the previous day}

Severe omicron gradients

In Germany, four people infected with Omikron have now died, 124 had to be treated in hospital because of the infection. That is 1.19 percent of the cases. According to current knowledge, Omikron can bypass the immune defense better than other corona variants and is characterized by a significantly increased transferability. However, recently published results from a study from Edinburgh suggest that the risk of hospitalization after infection with Omicron is lower compared to Delta.

These results are supported by another study carried out at Imperial College, London. Accordingly, a total of up to 25 percent fewer hospitalizations were documented with Omikron. Both studies are only available as preprints and have not yet been assessed by independent experts. (More here)

Christian Drosten, chief virologist at the Berlin Charité, tweeted on this: “Groundbreaking study. (…) Omikron is therefore somewhat weakened compared to Delta. Somewhat. Difference in severe courses still unclear.” Azra Ghani, who co-authored the London study, said: “The reduced risk of hospitalization with the Omikron variant is reassuring, but the risk of infection remains extremely high.” A refresh of the vaccination offers “still the best protection against infections and hospital stays.”

In 148 of 10,443 cases assigned to Omikron in Germany, reinfections were involved, which is around 1.4 percent. Most vaccination breakthroughs were reported in the 15 to 34 age group: 79. This is also the age group with the most Omikron cases (4867), followed by 35 to 59 year olds (56 reinfections / 3400 cases in total) and children and adolescents between 5 and 14 years (5/1100) and 60 to 79 year olds (6/753). The age groups 0 to 4 years (0/212) and 80 plus (2/107) have so far been least affected by Omikron.

Source:RKI

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