Omicron poses 'very high' global risk, world must prepare: WHO
United Nations/ Geneva: The heavily mutated Omicron Coronavirus variant is likely to spread internationally and poses a very high risk of infection surges that could have "severe consequences" in some places, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Monday.
No Omicron-linked deaths had yet been reported, though further research was needed to assess its potential to escape protection against immunity induced by vaccines and previous infections, it added.
In anticipation of increased case numbers as the variant, first reported last week, spreads, the UN agency urged its 194 member states to accelerate vaccination of high-priority groups and ensure plans were in place to maintain health services.
"Omicron has an unprecedented number of spike mutations, some of which are concerning for their potential impact on the trajectory of the pandemic," the WHO said.
"The overall global risk related to the new variant …is assessed as very high."
The WHO has said it is not yet clear whether the newly-detected Coronavirus variant is more transmissible or causes more severe disease compared to other variants, including the highly-transmissible and globally prevalent Delta variant.
There is currently no information to suggest that symptoms associated with Omicron are different from those from other variants, the WHO said.
It added that initial reported infections were among university studies — younger individuals who tend to have a more mild disease — but understanding the level of severity of the Omicron variant will take days to several weeks.
Amid concerns over the detection and transmissibility of B.1.1.529, designated by the WHO as a variant of concern, the global health organisation said on Sunday that even as researchers in South Africa and around the world are conducting studies to better understand many aspects of Omicron and will continue to share the findings of these studies as they become available, it is not yet clear whether Omicron is more transmissible (eg more easily spread from person to person) compared to other variants, including Delta.
It said the number of people testing positive has risen in areas of South Africa affected by this variant, but epidemiologic studies are underway to understand if it is because of Omicron or other factors.
On the severity of disease caused by the variant, the WHO said: "It is not yet clear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease compared to infections with other variants, including Delta."
