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 Organization (WHO) said on Monday.<\/p>\n
No Omicron-linked deaths had yet been reported, though further research was needed to assess its potential to resist vaccines and immunity induced by previous infections, it added.<\/p>\n
Anticipating increased case numbers as the variant, first reported last week, spreads, the U.N. agency urged its 194 member states to accelerate vaccination of high-priority groups.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
“The overall global risk …is assessed as very high.”<\/p>\n
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, said Omicron’s emergence showed how “perilous and precarious” the situation was.<\/p>\n
“Omicron demonstrates just why the world needs a new accord on pandemics,” he told the start of an assembly of health ministers expected to launch negotiations on such an agreement.<\/p>\n
“Our current system disincentivizes countries from alerting others to threats that will inevitably land on their shores.”<\/p>\n
The new global deal, expected by May 2024, would cover issues such as sharing of data and genome sequences of emerging viruses, and of any potential vaccines derived from research.<\/p>\n
Scientist Richard Hatchett, CEO of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), a foundation that funds vaccine development, said Omicron’s emergence had fulfilled predictions that transmission of the virus in areas with low vaccination rates would speed its evolution.<\/p>\n
“The inequity that has characterized the global response has now come home to roost,” he told the talks, noting that Botswana and South Africa had fully vaccinated less than a quarter of their populations.<\/p>\n
‘OVERWHELMING DEMANDS’<\/strong><\/p>\n Omicron was first reported on Nov. 24 from South Africa, where infections have risen steeply.<\/p>\n It has since spread to more than a dozen countries, many of which have imposed travel restrictions to try to seal themselves off. Japan on Monday joined Israel in saying it would close its borders completely to foreigners.<\/p>\n The WHO reiterated that, pending further advice, countries should use a “risk-based approach to adjust international travel measures”, while acknowledging that a rise in coronavirus cases might lead to higher morbidity and mortality rates.<\/p>\n “The impact on vulnerable populations would be substantial, particularly in countries with low vaccination coverage,” it added.<\/p>\n In vaccinated persons, meanwhile, “COVID-19 cases and infections are expected … albeit in a small and predictable proportion”.<\/p>\n Overall, there were “considerable uncertainties in the magnitude of immune escape potential of Omicron”, and more data was expected in coming weeks.<\/p>\n Source: Reuters<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 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 Organization (WHO) said on Monday. No Omicron-linked deaths had yet been reported, though further research was needed to assess its potential to resist vaccines […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":85723,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3090,2],"tags":[5145],"class_list":["post-85722","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-coronavirus","category-featured","tag-omicron"],"yoast_head":"\n