WHO warns soaring Omicron cases could raise chance of newer, severe strain
By Team Newsable | First Published Jan 5, 2022, 8:55 AM ISTEurope has registered more than 100 million Covid cases since the outbreak began, with more than five million additional cases reported in the last week of 2021, according to Smallwood.
The World Health Organization in Europe cautioned on Tuesday that a rise in Omicron cases throughout the world might raise the chance of a newer, more severe strain arising.
While the variety spreads like wildfire worldwide, it looks to be considerably less severe than previously anticipated, raising hopes that the pandemic will be conquered and life will return to normalcy. However, according to WHO senior emergency officer Catherine Smallwood, growing infection rates may have the opposite effect.
She believes that the more Omicron distributes, transmits, and duplicates, the more likely it will produce a new form. Omicron is now deadly, capable of causing death.
Europe has registered more than 100 million Covid cases since the outbreak began, with more than five million additional cases reported in the last week of 2021, according to Smallwood.
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She stated that we are at a very hazardous moment, with infection rates in Western Europe increasing rapidly, and the natural consequence of this is not yet evident. Smallwood also stated that, while "on an individual basis, there's a lower probability of hospitalisation" with the Omicron variation compared to Delta, Omicron may offer a bigger hazard overall due to the sheer number of instances. "When you see the instances climb so dramatically, a lot more individuals will likely have a serious sickness, end up in the hospital, and potentially die," she added.
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Britain faced predictions of an oncoming hospital catastrophe on Tuesday due to staff shortages caused by an outbreak of Omicron infections. The country's daily Covid caseload surpassed 200,000 for the first time. Smallwood predicted that this situation would play out in other European countries.
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