Study: Omicron strain spread 70 times faster than Delta in human lungs

Recent research from the University of Hong Kong revealed that the new COVID-19 variant Omicron was seen to multiply 70 times faster than the original and the previous Delta strains in tissue samples obtained from the bronchus, the primary tubes connecting the windpipe to the human lungs, The Guardian reported. During laboratory experiments, while conducting the study, researchers from the university discovered that the new highly mutated variant has expanded 10 times slower in lung tissue, which they believe might indicate lower disease severity. However, the study's principal author has warned that the total risk from Omicron variation is likely to be extremely significant, as per Sky news.  

Lead author, Michael Chan Chi-wai, cautioned that the findings should be interpreted carefully as the severity of the disease is defined not only by how rapidly the virus replicates but also by a person's immune reaction. He further added that it specifically states whether the immune system goes into overdrive, resulting in a cytokine storm.  

Findings of the study

It is also worth noting that while being less pathogenic or harmful, a highly infectious virus might cause more serious disease and fatality by infecting a large number of individuals, the lead author further added. “Therefore, taken together with our recent studies showing that the Omicron variant can partially escape immunity from vaccines and past infection, the overall threat from the Omicron variant is likely to be very significant”, citing Chi-wai, The Guardian reported.  

In addition to this, studies utilising lung tissue samples collected from patients following surgery produced the initial results, which were published online but not yet peer-reviewed. The Omicron version has 70 times the replication rate of Delta and the original type after 24 hours. Despite the fact that the bronchus is not part of the upper respiratory system, experts believe that this might result in people releasing more viruses and spreading diseases more easily. 

The findings, along with other recent research demonstrating that Omicron infects cells more easily, support the theory that the variation is intrinsically more transmissible in addition to avoiding existing immunity. 

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