WHO Representative Kluge: omicron-strain to become dominant in Europe in the coming weeks
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Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, estimated the timing of the spread of the omicron strain of coronavirus in Europe. In his opinion, this variant of COVID-19 will become dominant in many European countries in the coming weeks, reports Associated Press.
At a press conference in Vienna, Kluge predicted the approach of the “next storm” of the coronavirus. Within a few weeks, he said, the omicron strain will become dominant in many countries in the European region, “pushing already busy health systems closer to the brink of the abyss.”
The WHO spokesman added that the omicron strain COVID-19 has been identified in at least 38 of the 53 countries in the European region. The new mutation of the virus has already become dominant in the UK, Denmark and Portugal. Kluge stressed that 2.6 million new cases of coronavirus infection were recorded in Europe over the past week, which is 40 percent more than in the previous week.
Kluge noted that 89 percent of patients with omicron have the same symptoms as with other strains of coronavirus – cough, sore throat and fever. Most often, the new COVID-19 mutation was found in people between the ages of 20 and 30.
Earlier, WHO Director General Tedros Adan Ghebreyesus estimated the rate of spread of the omicron strain. He stressed that the mutation spreads faster than other variants of the coronavirus and poses a danger to those vaccinated. Ghebreyesus also called for the cancellation of mass celebrations to protect against the omicron strain.
