Omicron Variant Causes Unusual but Mild Symptoms: South African Medical Association Head

A petrol attendant stands next to a newspaper headline in Pretoria, South Africa, on Nov. 27, 2021. As the world grapples with the emergence of the new variant of COVID-19, scientists in South Africa—where Omicron was first identified—are scrambling to combat its spread across the country. AP Photo/Denis Farrell

The newest COVID-19 variant of concern causes unusual symptoms, but those symptoms so far have been mild, a top South African doctor says.

Dr. Angelique Coetzee practices in Pretoria, the capital of South Africa, one of the countries where the Omicron CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus variant was first detected earlier this month.