As the number of cases of the Omicron variant in India touches 200, reassuring news has come from South Africa. The chairperson of the South African Medical Association, Dr Angelique Coetzee, stated on Tuesday that most patients infected with the new variant in South Africa recovered with a simple and an easy line of treatment.

Dr Coetzee said that they start immediately following the diagnosis with low dose cortisone and a drug like ibuprofen to relieve the muscle pain and headaches, and that is all. She added that there is no need for oxygen therapy or antibiotics. Talking about the symptoms, she said that most of the cases reported thus far have had symptoms like body ache, headache and tiredness. She added that cough may or may not be there. If present, it is usually dry cough with sore, scratchy throat… (ET Healthworld – ANI, December 21, 2021)