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WHO head: world shouldn't be surprised by omicron

2 December 2021
17972
2021-12-02 14:21

The World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General said that the world should not be "surprised" by the emergence of the omicron variant.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General said At least 23 countries from five of six WHO regions have now reported cases of omicron, and we expect that number to grow. WHO takes this development extremely seriously and so should every country, but it should not surprise us."

We are learning more all the time about omicron, but there is still more to learn about its effect on transmission, severity of disease and the effectiveness of tests, therapeutics and vaccines.

The WHO also said travel bans by countries are having an impact on global cooperation against the new omicron variant by causing “challenges” to the sharing of laboratory samples from South Africa that can help get better grips on the new variant.

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