WHO warns! Omicron a global threat – risk “very high”!


Omikron is the dominant topic these days, although there are very divided opinions about the real danger posed by the new mutant, the WHO has now officially issued a very alarming warning! The threat from Omikron is “very high”! Virologist Drosten also warns!..:

WHO issues urgent warning about Omikron!

The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the risk of the new Omikron variant of the coronavirus as “very high” worldwide. A sharp increase in cases of infection by the Omikron variant could have serious consequences, the WHO warned in Geneva on Monday. Meanwhile, more and more countries are sealing themselves off from the outside world in view of the threat posed by the new variant. On Monday, the health ministers of the G7 will meet for an emergency meeting.

In its assessment on Monday, the WHO pointed to the many remaining uncertainties about the transmissibility and dangerousness of the new virus variant. “No deaths associated with the Omikron variant have been reported to date,” the organization stressed in a technical document that also advises authorities on how to try to contain the spread of the new variant.

On Thursday, the discovery of a new variant with the scientific name B.1.1.529 had been announced in South Africa. According to South African scientists, the variant could be even more contagious than the currently rampant delta variant because of the unusually large number of mutations, making vaccines less effective. The WHO classified the variant, named after the Greek letter omicron, as “of concern”.

Limits should remain open!

Nonetheless, the WHO argued that borders should remain open. Regardless, many countries around the world have closed their borders to travelers from South Africa and several other African countries. South Africa felt this “punished” it for revealing the variant and called for an “immediate and urgent” lifting of travel restrictions.

Japan had only earlier this month said it would allow some business travelers, foreign students and other visa holders back into the country. Then on Monday, the G7 country’s prime minister, Fumio Kishida, announced the closure of borders to all foreigners for the following day.

In withdrawing travel facilitation, Japan joined Israel, which has already been inaccessible to foreigners again since Sunday. The Philippines also announced it was suspending plans to allow vaccinated tourists to enter the country because of the new variant of the virus – a major blow to the tourism-dependent island nation.

Drosten also warns

.

The head of virology at Berlin’s Charité hospital, Christian Drosten, told ZDF’s “heute Journal” on Sunday that “no one can say at the moment what we are facing.” He added: “The only thing you can really say with certainty, it’s better if you’re vaccinated. It’s even better if you’re boosted.” Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder made similar comments on Monday’s ZDF “Morgenmagazin”. “We have to boost, boost, boost,” he said, calling for contact restrictions at the national level.

Meanwhile, efforts to mount an internationally coordinated response to the largely unknown new variant continue. Britain on Sunday night announced an emergency meeting of the G7 group of nations on Monday “to discuss developments relating to Omicron.” The group includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US.

Worldwide cases

Canada had registered the first cases of the new variant on Sunday, which has already been detected in Germany, Italy and Britain. French Health Minister Olivier Véran said Sunday it was “most likely a matter of hours” before the variant was also detected in his country. Switzerland reported a “probable first case” on Sunday, with further analysis expected to confirm it in the coming days. Japan is also currently investigating a suspected case.

In many countries, suspected cases are placed under strict surveillance. Nevertheless, in the Netherlands, a couple managed to escape from the quarantine hotel on Sunday. They were arrested on a plane that was about to take off for Spain and placed under quarantine again.

Beliebteste Artikel Aktuell: