The Covid-19 pandemic is far from over, the World Health Organisation chief has said, cautioning against taking the Omicron variant lightly.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, addressing a press conference from Geneva on Tuesday, said the Omicron variant had led to 18 million new infections across the world over the past week. While the variant may prove to be less severe on average, “the narrative that it is a mild disease is misleading,” he said.
“Make no mistake, Omicron is causing hospitalisations and deaths, and even the less severe cases are inundating health facilities.” He warned global leaders that “with the incredible growth of Omicron globally, new variants are likely to emerge, which is why tracking and assessment remain critical”.
His comments came as European nations saw a record increase in daily cases.
Meanwhile, in the UK, health secretary Sajid Javid has said he is “cautiously optimistic” that the UK’s coronavirus restrictions will be eased from next week.
-independent
