Coronavirus

Be Ready For Omicron-Driven Surge In Infections: WHO Warns Asia-Pacific

By
OB Bureau

New Delhi: The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned Asia-Pacific countries on Friday to boost healthcare capacity and fully vaccinate their people to prepare for a surge in COVID-19 cases as the Omicron variant spreads globally despite travel curbs, Reuters reported.

Many governments have tightened travel rules to keep the new variant out, but the WHO’s warning to the Asia-Pacific, a region of about 650 million people, stressed that border controls could only buy them time.

While Australia became the latest country to report community transmission of the new variant, a day after it was found locally in five US states, Omicron started gaining a foothold in Asia this week, with cases reported in India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea.

Australia’s chief medical officer said Omicron was likely to become the dominant variant globally within months, but at this stage, there was no evidence it was any more dangerous than Delta which swept the world earlier this year.

“I suspect within the (next few) months, Omicron will be the new virus in the world,” Paul Kelly, the top medical advisor to the Australian government, told reporters.

OB Bureau

Recent Posts

Odisha Activists Rescue 20-Yr-Old Married Woman Trafficked To Maharashtra, Raped For 14 Days

Bhubaneswar: A 20-year-old married woman, allegedly kidnapped from Odisha's Nabarangpur and then raped, and held…

November 24, 2024

India Counted 640 Million Votes In A Day, California Still Counting: Elon Musk Takes Jibe At US Poll Process

New York: Slamming the prolonged delays in some parts of United States, Elon Musk on…

November 24, 2024

17-Yr-Old Bangladeshi Girl ‘Trafficked’ To Odisha Rescued From Cuttack City

Cuttack: Madhupatana Police recently rescued a 17-year-old Bangladeshi girl, a suspected victim of trafficking and…

November 24, 2024

After Mahayuti’s Mahavijay, Who Will Be Maharashtra’s New CM? Here’s What Devendra Fadnavis & Eknath Shinde Said

Mumbai: With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena and the NCP alliance emerging victorious in…

November 24, 2024

Driver Burnt Alive As Container Catches Fire Near Laxmannath Toll Plaza In Odisha

Balasore: The driver of a container truck was charred to death after the vehicle caught…

November 24, 2024

80 Arrested In Massive Crackdown On Illegal Gambling In Odisha’s Nuapada

Nuapada: At least 80 people were arrested during a massive crackdown on illegal gambling activities…

November 24, 2024

IAS Reshuffle In Odisha: Sudhansu Samal Appointed OMC MD, Yamini Sarangi As Commercial Taxes & GST Commissioner

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has transferred Special Secretary, Planning and Convergence, Chitra Arumugam and posted…

November 24, 2024

Clash Erupts In Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal During Official Survey Of Mosque Following Court Order

Sambhal: A violent clash erupted in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal on Sunday after a group opposed…

November 24, 2024