The World Health Organization (WHO) has yet to determine whether COVID-19 Omicron will be more contagious or more severe. Now the information is preliminary and constantly changing, including how effective measures to curb the spread of the strain, said Director of the WHO European Bureau Hans Kluge at a briefing on Tuesday .
Ukraine , Ukraingate , 7 , December , 2021 | Health
“The Delta option remains dominant in Europe and Central Asia, and we know that COVID-19 vaccines remain effective in reducing disease severity and mortality. It remains to be seen how and whether it will be the most worrying option. COVID-19, Omicron, is more contagious or more or less serious. The information available on the option is up-to-date and constantly evolving, including the effectiveness of our countermeasures, including our vaccines, diagnostics and treatment, “Kluge said. .
“Omicron is on the horizon, and on the rise, and we are not in vain to show concern and caution. But, as I said, the problem is now in Delta …” – he added.
“It is too early to make any definite recommendations about Omicron, and Delta still dominates our regions and the tools are the same, so everything we do to combat the Delta option will benefit us if (if) Omicron becomes much more dominant.” , – said Kluge .
According to the WHO, more than 400 confirmed cases of this option have already been registered in the countries of the European region.
Kluge also noted that in a month in the countries of the European region another 120,000 people died and another 10 million fell ill with COVID-19. “By the end of this week, one in ten people in the European region will be infected with COVID-19, which will be confirmed by laboratory tests,” he added.
“As the end of the year and the holiday season approaches, reported deaths through COVID-19 have reached a high plateau, about 4,100 deaths per day, twice as many as 2,100 deaths per day at the end of September 2021, and the total number of reported deaths from COVID-19 in 53 countries in our region surpassed the mark of 1.5 million people just two weeks ago, “said the head of the WHO in Europe.
According to him, the rates of registration of cases have increased in all age groups, while the highest rates are currently observed in the age group from 5 to 14 years.
“Although the number of cases and deaths has more than doubled in the last two months, the number of deaths from COVID-19 remains well below previous peaks. Thus, without vaccination, mortality would have been much higher,” Kluge said.
According to him, 55% of all Europeans are fully vaccinated, and 43 of the region’s 53 countries already offer an additional / booster dose for the most vulnerable.
Studies conducted by the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control showed that from December 2020 to November 2021, at least 469,186 lives were directly saved by vaccination against COVID-19, said Kluge.
Addition
The first person infected with strain B.1.1.529 was recently detected in Botswana. According to the local radio station SABC, this is a South African citizen. On November 26, the World Health Organization named the new strain COVID-19 the Greek letter Omicron. The organization described the new option as a matter of concern.
The new strain has already been identified, in particular, in several European countries and countries in Asia, North America, Japan and Australia. Many countries have begun restricting or banning travel from southern Africa to curb the spread of this option.
Source: Ukrgate
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