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| Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the idea that the Omicron variant is a mild illness "is misleading". (Photo by= Getty Images) |
[Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning to world leaders that the coronavirus pandemic "is nowhere near over". BBC said that Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cautioned against the assumption that the newly dominant Omicron variant is significantly milder and has eliminated the threat posed by the virus.
The intervention comes as some European nations saw record new case numbers. France reported nearly half a million new daily cases on Tuesday. For the first time since the start of the pandemic, more than 100,000 new infections were recorded in Germany within 24 hours on Wednesday. Speaking during a news conference at the WHO's headquarters in Geneva, Dr. Tedros told reporters that the Omicron variant had led to 18 million new infections across the world over the past week.
While the variant may prove to be less severe on average, "the narrative that it is a mild disease is misleading," he said. He warned global leaders that "with the incredible growth of Omicron globally, new variants are likely to emerge, which is why tracking and assessment remain critical". Meanwhile, the WHO's emergencies director, Dr. Mike Ryan, also warned that Omicron's increased transmissibility is likely to drive a rise in hospitalizations and deaths, especially in nations where fewer people are vaccinated. New coronavirus infections have been growing across Europe as the new Omicron variant takes hold across the continent.
