The global risk of the Omicron variant is ‘very high’, according to the World Health Organization.
The Omicron variant is the latest addition to the World Health Organization’s list of Variants of Concern (VOCs). Following the discovery of the strain in South Africa, the global health agency tagged it as a new VOC due to its characteristics.
Fears and worries toward the new variant have since emerged across the globe. While experts have yet to understand the entirety of the strain, there are already claims of it being potentially more infectious than its predecessors.
As scientists race to comprehend the variant in full scale, officials continue to monitor its movements. CNN released a report on the matter, listing which countries have detected cases of the said strain.
Countries with confirmed cases
As of November 30, the Omicron variant has spread across 19 countries. South Africa, where experts first detected the stain, recorded the highest number of infections, with a total of 77 cases.
Botswana came in next with 19 cases. The United Kingdom and the Netherlands both recorded 14, while Portugal reported a total of 13 infections.
Officials in Australia tallied six cases. Germany and Italy both recorded four infections, and three for Canada, as well as Hong Kong.
Israel and Denmark reported two cases of the strain. The rest on the list, which are Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Japan, Spain, and Sweden, all had one.
The publication said that it will update the list once new records emerge.
About the Omicron variant
The Omicron variant obtained its VOC designation from the World Health Organization on November 26. As per the agency’s update on November 28, the decision was on the advice of its Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution (TAG-VE).
WHO consequently noted that the variant has several mutations, which may impact its behaviour. This involves the transmissibility, as well as the severity of illness it causes.
Despite this, though, the agency acknowledged that it continues to work with experts across the globe to learn more about the new COVID-19 variant. As stated, it remains unclear how infectious it is or how severe the disease would be following transmission.
COVID-19 pandemic is far from over
There, indeed, remains “considerable uncertainties” about the new COVID-19 strain. But, the WHO stated that there is “very high” global risk from the variant, according to Al Jazeera.
This is why officials at the global health agency are urging the public to use all available effective measures to stop the further spread of the Omicron variant. These include keeping hand and body hygiene, ventilating rooms, and wearing masks.
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