Shouldn't dismiss Omicron as 'mild', warns WHO official

New Delhi, Dec 17: The highly-infectious Omicron coronavirus variant should not be dismissed as mild as it appears to be spreading faster than any other variants of concern, a World Health Organization (WHO) official said on Friday.

Speaking to ANI, Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia, said "Based on current limited evidence, Omicron appears to be spreading fastest rate not seen with any other previous variant. Emerging data from South Africa suggest increased riks of reinfection with Omicron."

"However, more data are needed to draw firmer conclusions. There is still limited data on clinical severity associated with Omicron. More information on case severity associated with Omicron is expected in the coming weeks, she said.

"We should not dismiss #Omicron as mild. Even if Omicron does cause less severe disease, the number of cases could once again overwhelm health systems," she added.

"Preliminary data suggest that vaccines may likely have reduced effectiveness against infections by Omicron variant. It will take a few more weeks before there is enough evidence to fully assess vaccines' performance against Omicron," the WHO official said.

"The risk of COVID-19 remains high globally. The emergence of variants is a reminder that the pandemic is far from over," she added.