Sat 25 December 2021:
The World Health Organization issued a warning on Friday, stating that the omicron variant of coronavirus is spreading at a much faster rate than the delta variant.
According to the UN agency, consistent evidence shows that omicron has a significant growth advantage over delta.
“It is spreading significantly faster than the delta variant in countries with documented community transmission,” the WHO said.
“Growth rate estimates in South Africa are now declining, driven largely by the declining rates in Gauteng province,” which includes Johannesburg, it added. “It remains uncertain to what extent the observed rapid growth rate since November 2021 can be attributed to immune evasion or intrinsic increased transmissibility, but is likely a combination of both.”
On Nov. 26, WHO designated the variant B.1.1.529 a variant of concern and named it omicron.
“Omicron is a highly divergent variant with a high number of mutations, including 26-32 mutations in the spike protein, some of which may be associated with humoral immune escape potential and higher transmissibility,” the WHO said.
As of Dec. 22, the omicron had been identified in 110 countries across all six WHO regions.
Countries such as the UK, Spain, France, the US and Australia reported a record number of Covid-19 cases this week with WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus suggesting that restrictions should be in place and holiday plans be cancelled. He said, “An event cancelled is better than a life cancelled.”
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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