Geneva: European head of the World Health Organization on Tuesday warned countries to prepare for “significant surge” in the case of Covid-19 as an omicron spread, and suggested the use of expanding booster for protection.
Because it appeared at the end of November, Omicron had been detected at least 38 of 53 countries in the WHO European region and was dominant in some of them including Denmark, Portugal and England, Hans Kluge told a press conference in Vienna.
“We can see other storms come,” said Kluge. “In a few weeks, Omicron will dominate in more countries in this region, encouraging a health system that has stretched further into the ravine.”
The European European region includes Russia and the former other Soviet republics, and Turkey.
Who data shows the area in recent weeks reported the highest number of Covid-19 cases compared to the population size anywhere. Even before Omicron, officials have warned 700,000 further deaths from the disease in March.
Headquarters in Geneva has suggested that vaccine amplifiers are saved for the most vulnerable, but Kluge urges people to “improve, improve, improve.”
“Booster is the most important single defense of Omicron,” he said.
A spokesman who did not immediately respond to the request to comment on Kublu’s comments.
So far, 89% of the initial omikron cases in Europe are associated with common covid-19 symptoms such as coughing, sore throat and fever, Kluge said. Most cases have been reported among adults in their 20s and 30s, initially spreading in cities at social meetings and workplaces, he added.
“The thin volume of new Covid-19 infections can cause more hospitalization and extensive disruption to other critical health systems and services,” he said.
“The government and authority need to prepare our response system for a significant surge.”
WHO said on Monday that Omicron spread faster than the Delta variant, causing infection in people who were vaccinated or recovered from disease. The main scientist calls it “unwise” to conclude from the initial evidence, it is a variant that is lighter than the previous one.