Omicron isn’t gentle; it’s hospitalising and killing folks, warns WHO director

The World Health Organisation director on Thursday stated that the omicron variant of Covid-19 shouldn’t essentially be categorised as “mild.”
While omicron seems to be much less extreme than the delta variant, particularly amongst individuals who have been vaccinated, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that it doesn’t imply it ought to be categorised as “mild”.
“Just like previous variants omicron is hospitalising people, and it’s killing people,” he stated. “In fact the tsunami of cases is so huge and quick that it is overwhelming health systems around the world,” he added.

“Last week the highest number of Covid-19 cases were reported so far in the pandemic,” stated Ghebreyesus. He stated that the WHO was sure that determine was an underestimate, due to a backlog in testing across the yr finish holidays.
The WHO stated on Thursday {that a} report 9.5 million instances of Covid-19 have been tallied world wide final week, noting a 71% surge within the weekly depend of infections amounting to a tsunami, as the brand new omicron variant sweeps worldwide.
The UN well being company in its weekly report on the pandemic stated that the weekly depend amounted to 95,20,488 new instances. However the variety of recorded deaths declined with 41,178 recorded final week, in comparison with 44,680 within the week earlier than that.

The WHO stated the rise in case counts during the last week diversified. It doubled within the Americas area however rose solely 7% in Africa.
The WHO emergencies chief Dr Michael Ryan stated that the hypothesis that omicron may be the final variant of the outbreak was wishful considering. “There still is a lot of energy in this virus,” he cautioned.
“I think it’s very unlikely that omicron will be the last variant that you will hear us discussing,” stated Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s technical lead on Covid-19.
WHO officers referred to as on the general public to step up measures to combat the pandemic like getting vaccinated, ventilating rooms, sustaining correct bodily distancing and sporting masks — however correctly.
“I’m struck by how people actually are wearing masks,” stated Kerkhove.
“Wearing a mask below your chin is useless And it gives you a false sense of security that you have something on that is protecting you. It will not. Basically we are asking everyone to play a part in this.”

Separately Ryan stated that the well being company’s work with the International Olympic Committee and China – which is ready to host the 2022 Winter Games – led him to be assured that the measures that video games organisers have put in place have been very strict and powerful.
“We don’t at this point see any increased risk of disease transmission in that context,” Ryan stated.