Omicron is deadly and should not be called a mild variant, says WHO

The WHO (World Health Organization) has warned that the omicron variant should not be described as mild as it is killing people all over the world.

Recent studies suggest that the omicron is less likely to make people seriously ill than previous variants of Covid. But the record number of infected people has left health systems overwhelmed, said WHO Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

This week, the US recorded more than one million cases of Covid in 24 hours.

The WHO said the number of global cases had increased by 71% in the last week — and in the Americas, it was up 100%. The entity says that, among serious cases worldwide, 90% are in people who have not been vaccinated.

“While the omicron appears to be less severe compared to the delta, especially among those vaccinated, this does not mean that it should be classified as mild,” Tedros told a news conference on Thursday.

“Just like previous variants, the onomicron is hospitalizing and killing people. In fact, the tsunami of cases is so large and fast that it is overwhelming healthcare systems across the world.”

Omicron is highly contagious and can infect people, even those who are fully vaccinated. However, vaccines are essential as they help protect against serious cases that can lead to hospitalization or even death.

The number of cases remains high, especially in Europe. As of Thursday, the UK reported 179,756 new cases and 231 Covid-related deaths. Several hospitals reported reaching critical points due to staff shortages and mounting pressures.

In France, Health Minister Olivier Veran warned this week that January would be difficult for hospitals. He added that omnin patients occupied “conventional” beds in hospitals, while delta put pressure on ICU departments. France on Thursday reported 261,000 new cases.

Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic said the country’s healthcare system is currently under great pressure. The country recorded more than 9,000 cases as of Thursday, according to local media.

In his most recent comments, the WHO director repeated his calls for better vaccine distribution to help the poorest countries vaccinate their populations.

He said that, based on the current picture, 109 countries will not meet the WHO target of 70% of the world being fully vaccinated by July.

Last year, the WHO chief had said that the world would have enough doses of the vaccine by 2022 to vaccinate the entire global adult population, if Western countries did not accumulate vaccines to use in their booster programmes.