Ômicron reaches 57 countries and hospitalizations are expected to rise

The Ômicron variant has already been notified in 57 countries, and the number of patients who will need hospital admission will likely increase as it spreads, warned the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday (8).

In its weekly epidemiological report, WHO said more data is needed to assess the severity of disease caused by Ômicron and whether its mutations can reduce protection from vaccine-induced immunity.

"Even if the severity is equal, or possibly even less, than the Delta variant, it is to be expected that hospitalizations will increase if more people become infected and there is a time lag between an increase in the incidence of cases and an increase in incidence of deaths," the agency said.

On 26 November, WHO declared Ômicron, first detected in southern Africa, as a "worrying variant". It is the fifth variant of SARS-CoV-2 to receive this designation.

The number of reported covid-19 cases in South Africa doubled in the week ended Nov. 5, from 62,000. "Very large" increases in incidence are seen in Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and Lesotho, the organization reported.

The spread of Ômicron, coupled with increased testing and low vaccination rates, may have played a role, WHO added.

"Preliminary analysis indicates that mutations present in the Ômicron variant may decrease the neutralizing activity of antibodies, resulting in reduced protection from natural immunity", said the WHO on the risk of infection.

Text translated using artificial intelligence.