Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- It is not worth comparing the dangers of a new strain of the omicron coronavirus and Ebola in terms of the degree of danger. They affect the body to varying degrees. Moreover, cases of contactless transmission of the virus may indicate its high ability to spread. Professor of the School of Systems Biology at George Mason University, Doctor of Biological Sciences Ancha Baranova spoke about this in an interview with TASS.

Talk about a new virus like Ebola? A young population in Africa was diagnosed with a virus by doctors and had very strange symptoms, but not terrible. This was mainly manifested in monstrous fatigue, which then passed, an increase in temperature. It’s not like Ebola, - said Baranova.

She stressed that while experts have not observed how the new virus manifests itself in the elderly, but again suggested not to compare it with Ebola.

At the same time, Baranova noted that cases of contactless transmission of the omicron strain may indicate a high ability to spread. As an example, she cited an infection that occurred in Hong Kong, when two people were quarantined and placed in separate rooms across a corridor.

They did not meet in person. We are talking about the fact that one walked along the corridor, through which the other had previously passed with or without a loosely fitting mask. So the transmission rate can be quite high, the biologist said.

Baranova believes that the new variant of the virus did not arise on the basis of the "delta" strain. At the same time, she fears that the omicron will spread along with the delta and will also begin to infect vaccinated citizens.

That is, a higher level of antibodies will be required for protection. What these units of neutralization are, it is still impossible to guess, - said the biologist.

Earlier, Ancha Baranova said that the Russian Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine is most likely capable of forming a somewhat stronger immunity to the new strain of coronavirus, omicron, than other drugs against COVID-19 do.