WHO: Omicron Detected in 89 Countries, Cases Doubling Fast | World News
VIENNA (AP) — The omicron variant of the coronavirus has been detected in 89 international locations and is spreading quickly even in locations with excessive ranges of inhabitants immunity, the World Health Organization mentioned Saturday.
The variety of COVID-19 circumstances involving omicron is doubling each 1.5 to three days in international locations the place there’s neighborhood transmission of the variant and never simply individuals who have been contaminated overseas, WHO mentioned.
Omicron’s “substantial growth advantage” over the delta variant means it’s prone to quickly overtake delta because the dominant variant in these international locations, the U.N. well being company mentioned.
It stays unclear if the fast progress of omicron circumstances is as a result of the variant evades present immunity, is inherently extra transmissible than earlier variants, or a mixture of each, WHO mentioned.
Other main questions on omicron stay unanswered, together with how efficient every of the present COVID-19 vaccines are towards it. Conclusive knowledge additionally doesn’t exist but on how sick omicron makes COVID-19 sufferers, the well being company mentioned.
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WHO first labeled omicron a variant of concern on Nov. 26.
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