The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that; the Omicron variant of Covid-19 is killing people across the globe and should not be dismissed as mild.
This was stated by WHO Director General – Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, according to him, the record number of people catching the new variant — is rapidly out-competing the previously-dominant Delta variant in many countries — meant hospitals are being overwhelmed.
“While Omicron does appear to be less severe compared to Delta, especially in those who have been vaccinated. It does not mean it should be categorised as mild. Just like previous variants, Omicron is hospitalising people and it is killing people,” he explained at a press conference.
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“In fact, the tsunami of cases is so huge and quick, that it is overwhelming health systems around the world.”
About 9.5 million new Covid-19 cases were reported to the WHO last week. A record, up 71 percent on the week before.
Tedros, however, said it was an underestimate because it did not reflect the backlog of testing around the Christmas-New Year holidays, positive self-tests not registered, and overburdened surveillance systems missing cases.
Tedros, who slammed rich nations for hoarding available vaccine doses last year. Said that has created the perfect breeding ground for the emergence of virus variants.
The WHO chief therefore urged the world to share out vaccine doses more fairly in 2022, to end the “death and destruction” caused by Covid-19.
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