According to a study by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, which is a South African national public health institute:
- Omicron infections had an 80% lower odds of being admitted to hospital
- In those who are hospitalized, the risk of severe disease does not differ
- When compared to Delta infections, omicron infections were associated with a 70% lower odds of severe disease
- Estimates that after South Africa’s third coronavirus wave, 60%-70% of individuals had evidence of previous infection
- Say unclear whether decreased severity in this wave is due to greater levels of immunity in the community or inherently decreased virulence
- Study acknowledges that it was conducted when omicron numbers were ‘small’ and ‘patients with milder symptoms were more likely to be admitted’
The study can be found here