Omicron variant: WHO says no data on deaths linked to new COVID strain so far

On Friday, World Health Organization (WHO) spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said that the agency has no data on mortality linked to the newly detected Omicron variant of the coronavirus. He added that more precise statistics on the new variant are expected to be available in a few weeks, news agency Sputnik reported. The new variant, Omicron, first discovered in South Africa, has been categorised as a "Variant of Concern" by the World Health Organization. 

The UN health agency also stated that the measures used to combat the Delta variant should remain the fundamental basis for fighting the coronavirus pandemic, including the Omicron variant. While Omicron infections have been reported in several countries, including India, the numbers are still small outside of South Africa. Many aspects of the new variant are still unknown, including if it is more contagious, as some health officials believe, whether it causes people to get more seriously ill, and whether it can thwart the vaccine, etc.

'Border closures can buy time': WHO

According to the WHO, border closures implemented by some countries provide some time to deal with the new variant. On Friday, Dr Takeshi Kasai, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, told reporters in a virtual news conference, a few countries in the region are experiencing a surge in cases.

"Border control can delay the virus coming in and buy time. But every country and every community must prepare for new surges in cases. The positive news in all of this is that none of the information we have currently about omicron suggests we need to change the directions of our response," Kasai was quoted as saying by the Associated Press (AP). 

According to Kasai, Omicron has been recognised as a variant of concern due to a large number of mutations and early indications showing it may be more transmissible than other viral variants. However, he added that more testing and observation is required.

It should be mentioned here that the new Omicron variant has also alarmed scientists and the health community because of its complicated genetic sequence. Besides, it is also the most potent type of the SARS-CoV-2 variation found to date. The variant's protein spike has more than 50 mutations, including more than 30 on the spike protein, making it far more transmissible than the Delta version. 

(With inputs from AP, Image: AP/Pixabay)