GENEVA, Dec 4 : The Omicron variant has been detected in 38 countries but no deaths have yet been reported, the WHO said on Friday , as authorities worldwide rushed to stem the heavily mutated Covid-19 strain's spread amid warnings that it could damage the global economic recovery.
"We're going to get the answers that everybody out there needs," WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan said. "Even before the arrival of this new variant, we were concerned that the recovery, while it continues, is losing somewhat momentum," she said.A preliminary study by researchers in South Africa, where the variant was first reported on November 24, suggests it is three times more likely to cause reinfections compared to the Delta or Beta strains.
"The incidence in those under-fives is now second-highest, and second only to the incidence in those over 60," said Wassila Jassat from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases. "It's quite a kick in the nuts," said Sabine Stam, who runs a South African tour company and whose customers are demanding refunds."Everyone is too scared to set a new travel date," she said.
Belgian authorities said on Friday that primary schools would close a week early for the Christmas holidays.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.