WHO: Omicron spreading faster than all previous COVID variants

The World Health Organization warned on Tuesday that the new mutated coronavirus variant known as Omicron is spreading at a rate not seen in previous variants.

Tedros Adhanom, Director-General of the World Health Organization, stated that 77 countries have now reported cases of Omicron. The reality is that Omicron is likely present in most countries, even if it has not yet been identified in some.

The WHO Director-General emphasized: Omicron is spreading at a rate we have never seen in any variant before.

Tedros Adhanom expressed concern that some countries are underestimating Omicron as a not particularly serious variant.

He added that while Omicron is more transmissible, it is still unclear whether this variant causes milder or more severe illness than previous types of coronavirus.

The WHO Director-General warned that the prevalence and number of Omicron cases could again impact unprepared healthcare systems.

South Africa was the first country to report the emergence of the new coronavirus variant in that nation last month.

Since the emergence of Omicron in South Africa, the daily number of cases in the country has increased to 20,000. In early last month, the daily number of coronavirus cases in the country was less than 1,000.

Source: Radio Farda