Ômicron is spreading around the world at an unprecedented rate, warns WHO
The new variant of the coronavirus, Ômicron, is already present in 77 countries and spreading at an unprecedented rate. The alert is from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Several countries are beginning to adopt more restrictive measures to contain the increase in infections.
European center
The European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) today considered that Ômicron, a new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, poses "very high" risk and requires "urgent and strong" measures to protect health systems. health.
In an updated risk assessment released this Wednesday, ECDC says Ômicron is expected to succeed Delta as the dominant variant in the European Union (EU) in early 2022. Community broadcasting within Europe is already being seen, and the data Available preliminaries do not rule out "a significant reduction in vaccine efficacy" against this strain.
Thus, and because EU countries still face the severe impact of the Delta variant, "a further increase in hospitalizations could quickly overwhelm health systems."
"Based on the limited evidence currently available, and given the high level of uncertainty, the overall level of public health risk associated with the emergence and spread of Ômicron is assessed as very high," says the European centre, which recommends a "urgent and strong action" to reduce transmission of the virus, "in order to ease the already heavy burden on health systems and protect the most vulnerable in the coming months."
According to ECDC, "the rapid reintroduction and reinforcement of non-pharmaceutical interventions" is needed to reduce Delta transmission and slow the spread of Ômicron, keeping the burden on health care under control.
Text translated using artificial intelligence.
