The Omicron variant presents “a very high risk” worldwide, says WHO

The World Health Organization has published, Monday November 29, a “technical note” summarizing the knowledge on the Omicron variant. She believes that he presents “a very high risk” globally, the WHO warned. “To date, no deaths associated with the Omicron variant have been reported”, underlines the organization, which also gives advice to the authorities to try to stop the diffusion of the new variant.

“Given the mutations that could confer escape potential to the immune response as well as possibly give an advantage in terms of transmissibility, the likelihood of Omicron spreading globally is high, adds the WHO, while the list of the number of countries where it is detected continues to grow. Depending on these characteristics, there could be future peaks of Covid-19, which could have severe consequences depending on different factors and in particular where these peaks would occur. “

However, the organization stresses that many unknowns remain about this variant: its contagiousness, of which it is not known whether it is inherent to the mutations observed or if it is due to the fact that this variant is better able to escape the immune response; the level of protection conferred by existing anti-Covid vaccines, in terms of contagiousness and severity of the disease; or if the variant causes more severe symptoms.