NEW—Australia 🇦🇺 confirms its first 2 cases of #Omicron variant in New South Wales (Sydney region) among flight ✈️ passengers returning from South Africa 🇿🇦, aboard a Qatar Airways flight via Doha. All 260 aboard now isolating. 14 days hotel quarantine for those from S Africa. 🧵
2) This adds to the flurry of new / probable #Omicron cases identified in the past 2 days. It’s definitely global now
3) I warned that it was already global outside of SubSaharan Africa when we immediately noticed the Belgium 🇧🇪 case has zero travel to Southern Africa. And it was weeks ago. Millions fly out every week in Africa. It was inevitable if we respond so late.
4) Early data is showing potential high viral competitive advantage in transmission. A LOT higher than delta. I pray this data is wrong. But I’m worried give the cases in S Africa.

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More from @DrEricDing

29 Nov
LISTEN UP—The world needs to hear the voices of South African scientists calling for help. I sure have. If South African scientists can’t work, then the world suffers. I call on world leaders to lift travel bans (its too late now)—& instead use ✈️ border entry tests. 🙏 @Tuliodna
2) I’ve recently called for international arrivals testing instead of travel bans. Given #Omicron is worldwide already now, it’s the most fair thing to do. Lift the bans - use entry testing, followup testing, and short term quarantine if necessary.
3) one of South Africa’s leading epidemiologists says releasing travel bans must come first before donations of reagents.
Read 4 tweets
29 Nov
Hundreds of ✈️ passengers that landed in Amsterdam🇳🇱 (61 COVID, 13 #Omicron) were crammed for hours together with “no masks, no distancing—300 of us in a waiting room which was not very large, tight against each other." Negatives just released—no followup!
francetvinfo.fr/sante/maladie/… ImageImage
2) Confirmed by also NYT reporter who was there. All crammed in unventilated room without mask compliance. What a mess
3) These passengers waited 6 hours on the tarmac and then 10 hours for their test results - all while many gave up on masks. And they they were all released no quarantine. I’m going to say this was a complete screw up of Netherlands 🇳🇱 govt.
Read 5 tweets
29 Nov
Folks—as much as life is unpredictable, we should try to have empathy for others & show kindness to strangers—and to help each other whenever we can when others in need. I was given a second chance in life, so I believe in karma & paying it forward. 🙏
Many folks don’t understand why I tweet. Some think I’m a fearmonger, or think I’m some opportunist, or think I’m a CCP spy. They are wrong. ➡️instead, this is who I am—I was given a second shot at life—saving lives & public health is my life mission: well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/08/a-w…
3) I did this in Jan 2020 at great personal cost and professional peril… but I did it anyway. Maybe history one day will be more kind. nymag.com/intelligencer/…
Read 4 tweets
28 Nov
⚠️TRIPLING HOSPITALIZATIONS IN 2 WEEKS—In #Omicron epicenter of Gauteng Province, South Africa🇿🇦, there is more than **tripling of #COVID19 hospitalizations** in 2 weeks—➡️ from 135 hospital admissions to 418. This is data directly from 🇿🇦’s CDC @nicd_sa🧵
nicd.ac.za/diseases-a-z-i…
2) here is the exact #COVID19 hospitalizations breakdown for Gauteng Province by both public and private hospitals. It’s increasing equally - tripling in both classes of hospitals. This is not just a surveillance issue. Trust the @nicd_sa data first. nicd.ac.za/diseases-a-z-i…
3) breakdown many #COVID19 patients currently hospitalized / in ICU / on ventilator in Gauteng 🇿🇦—747 hospitalized, 57 in ICU, and 23 on a ventilator. @nicd_sa doesn’t give the time series for all of these. It’s still early. Less hope it doesn’t rise further.
Read 17 tweets
28 Nov
📍”MARKED CHANGE”—In South Africa 🇿🇦: “Young people, in their 20s to late 30s, are coming in with moderate to severe disease, some needing intensive care. About 65% are not vaccinated—most of the rest are only half-vaccinated”. ➡️#GetVaccinatedNow #Omicron pbs.org/newshour/healt…
2) Yes I’m aware of conflicting reports. But I’m citing PBS / AP - reputable sources. The disinfo on other side saying it’s “mild” is from manipulating quotes.
3) Here is the full context of those who claimed it was “mild”. Different doctors see diff patients. I know for a fact that hospitalizations are rising in the Gauteng epicenter province. I’ll share a graph later.
Read 4 tweets
28 Nov
BREAKING—13 #Omicron variant cases now confirmed from 61 #COVID19 cases among ~600 passengers on two flights from South Africa to Amsterdam 🇳🇱(that took off and was mid-air when EU travel limits added). Dutch government warns there will likely be more. bbc.co.uk/news/world-eur…
2) Overnight, Germany also added a confirmed case (suspected yesterday) along with Italy 🇮🇹, and previously Australia just recently. Austria and Denmark now have probables. bnonews.com/index.php/2021…
3) the two Australia 🇦🇺 cases also just came off of Qatar Airways flights from South Africa 🇿🇦 via Doha. The earlier Hong Kong 🇭🇰 cases also were on @qatarairways via Doha. ➡️ I think @DohaAirport needs to do more screenings as well.
Read 5 tweets

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