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A variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, first identified in late 2021, known for its high transmissibility and ability to evade some immune responses.
オミクロン株は世界中で急速に広がりました。
The Omicron variant spread rapidly around the world.
Named after the Greek letter 'Omicron' in the order of variant naming by the World Health Organization.
The 'オミクロン' part is pronounced 'oh-mee-krohn,' while '株' is pronounced 'kah-boo.'
Derived from the Greek letter 'Omicron' (Ο), used by the WHO to name COVID-19 variants in alphabetical order. The term '株' (kabu) means 'strain' or 'variant' in Japanese.
In Japanese media and medical contexts, 'オミクロン株' is the standard term for the Omicron variant of COVID-19. The word 'オミクロン' is a loanword from English, while '株' is a native Japanese term.