BackOmicron spreading significantly faster than Delta, cases doubling in 1.5 to 3 days: WHO
The Omicron variant has been reported in 89 countries and the number of cases is doubling in 1.5 to 3 days in areas with community transmission, the WHO said
PremiumOmicron, the new strain of Covid-19, is spreading significantly faster than the Delta variant in countries with documented community transmission, with a doubling time of 1.5–3 days, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Saturday.
The Omicron variant has been reported in 89 countries and the number of cases is doubling in 1.5 to 3 days in areas with community transmission, the WHO said.
Omicron is spreading rapidly in countries with high levels of population immunity, but it is unclear if this is due to the virus' ability to evade immunity, its inherent increased transmissibility or a combination of both, the WHO said in an update.
"There are still limited data on the clinical severity of Omicron," the WHO said. "More data are needed to understand the severity profile and how severity is impacted by vaccination and pre-existing immunity."
It added, "There are still limited available data, and no peer-reviewed evidence, on vaccine efficacy or effectiveness to date for Omicron".
The WHO warned that with cases rising so rapidly, hospitals could be overwhelmed in some places.
"Hospitalizations in the UK and South Africa continue to rise, and given rapidly increasing case counts, it is possible that many healthcare systems may become quickly overwhelmed."
The Omicron variant, which was designated as a variant of concern on Nov. 26, has been identified in 89 countries across all six WHO regions as of Dec. 16, the world's top health body said.
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