DUSHANBE, 24.01.2022 (NIAT Khovar) – On January 21, the press service of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population reported about 23 new cases of the SARS/COVID-19 related infection.

It has not yet been reported which strain of the virus is in question, although there have already been many reports of the penetration of the omicron strain into the CIS countries, including Central Asia.

Professor Saidbek Sattoriv from the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Virology at the Avicenna Tajik State Medical University notes that omicrons symptoms are akin to that of the flu.

“Headache, weakness, sore throat, coughing, sneezing, and stomach pain are the main symptoms of omicron,” says he.

According to him, the omicron strain is a new modified form of COVID-19 with symptoms almost identical to other strains of COVID-19.

“Namely, runny nose, increased weakness, headache, insomnia, sleep disturbance, but it is milder than other types of COVID-19,” Sattorov notes.

“The omicron strain spreads very quickly. However, symptoms may disappear after 3-4 days. The new strain of COVID-19 is difficult to distinguish from the common cold. Therefore, if these symptoms are present, patients can be tested for COVID-19,” he adds.

The omicron strain of coronavirus, or B.1.1.529, was discovered in Botswana and South Africa in November 2021.

According to experts, those who have been ill and vaccinated can also become infected.

The new strain has already been identified in 110 countries, including in the CIS countries.

According to experts, omicron spreads faster than the previous delta strain and becomes dominant.