Omicron variant represents ‘very high risk’ worldwide (WHO)

Geneva | The World Health Organization warned on Monday that the new variant of the coronavirus from Omicron poses a “very high risk” at a global level, while highlighting the many uncertainties that remain surrounding the severity and transmission of the variant.

So far, no deaths linked to the Omicron variant have been reported, the organization said in a technical document published on Monday, which also advises authorities to try to curb the spread of the new variant.

The organization said as a list the number of countries detected continues to grow, after the first cases were discovered in South Africa in November.

The World Health Organization, which as of Friday classified the variant as “Special Concern,” added.

The organization emphasizes, however, that many unknowns remain about this variant: its infectiousness, whether it is rooted in the mutations observed or whether it is due to the fact that this variant is better able to escape the immune response; The level of protection afforded by current anti-Covid vaccines in terms of infection and disease severity; If the variant causes more severe symptoms.