According to a top South African Infectious disease expert on Monday, existing covid-19 vaccines are likely effective at preventing severe diseases from the newly detected Omicron variant.

Professor Salim Abdool Karim added at a news conference that it was too early to say whether Omicron led to more severe clinical symptoms than previous variants, although it does appear more transmissable and more likely to infect people who have immunity from vaccination or prior infection.

The discovery of the variant in southern Africa has caused a strong global reaction, with countries limiting travel from the region and imposing other restrictions for fear that it could spread quickly even in vaccinated populations.

However, scientists have yet to determine how deadly it is when compared to earlier strains that cause COVID-19, or what effect existing vaccines might have on the illness it causes.

On Sunday, a South African doctor who was one of the first to suspect a new strain, said Omicron appeared so far to be producing mild symptoms.