Dozens of Christmas party-goers who became infected with suspected cases of Omicron Covid in Norway have only mild symptoms, doctors have revealed.
Up to 60 people who fell ill after attending a party on Oslo's waterfront a week ago have so-far developed headaches and sore throats while a few have a cough.
Tine Ravlo, chief physician for the district where the outbreak took place, said the symptoms are broadly consistent with what is being reported from South Africa, where the variant first emerged.
But, he added, it is still too early to tell whether that makes Omicron more or less dangerous than Delta. All of the infected are young and all are believed to have been vaccinated - a combination that typically leads to milder symptoms.
Up to 60 people were infected with Omicron Covid at a Christmas party in Norway, but all currently have mild symptoms (pictured, Norway's overall Covid case toll)
All of those infected at the party - which hosted employees of South African renewable energy firm Scatec - are currently recovering at home, Mr Ravlo added.
The Olso outbreak - currently the world's largest-known Omicron outbreak - happened after several employees who had recently travelled to Scatec's head office in Cape Town attended the party.
Fifty of those who attended the Scatec party have since tested positive on a PCR test, meaning they are confirmed Covid cases, while another 10 have tested positive on a lateral flow, meaning they are suspected but not confirmed.
Only one of the cases has so-far been confirmed as Omicron using genetic sequencing techniques, with 10-15 cases declared probable Omicron.
But all cases are assumed to be the new variant, with the results of more sequencing tests expected soon.
Mr Ravlo said the 'incubation period' of the new variant - the time from infection to first symptoms - appears to be two to four days.
That is far less than the seven to 14 days for most other Covid variants, and would potentially make outbreaks easier to spot - though the data is still preliminary.
Mr Ravlo added that, so far, all infections in Oslo have been traced to the Christmas party and there is no evidence of wider community spread.
The Christmas party was held in a closed room but the guests reportedly mingled with other people in the restaurant after 10:30pm, when it turned into a nightclub (pictured, inside Louise Restaurant & Bar)
50 people tested positive on a PCR test and 10 from a lateral flow following Norwegian renewable energy company Scatec's Christmas party at Louise Restaurant & Bar (pictured) in Aker Brygge, Oslo, on Friday
