- The omicron Covid variant is likely to spread further and poses a “very high” global risk, according to the World Health Organization.
- It warned Monday that surges of Covid infections caused by the variant of concern could have “severe consequences” for some areas.
- The WHO issued a technical brief to its 194 member states on Monday.
LONDON — The omicron Covid variant is likely to spread further and poses a “very high” global risk, according to the World Health Organization, which warned Monday that surges of Covid infections caused by the variant of concern could have “severe consequences” for some areas.
“Given mutations that may confer immune escape potential and possibly transmissibility advantage, the likelihood of potential further spread of Omicron at the global level is high,” the WHO said in its risk assessment on Monday within a technical brief to its 194 member states .
“Depending on these characteristics, there could be future surges of Covid-19, which could have severe consequences, depending on a number of factors including where surges may take place. The overall global risk related to the new VOC [variant of concern] Omicron is assessed as very high,” the U.N. health agency said.
The WHO designated the variant B.1.1.529, which was first spott