Omicron wave threatens European region
Travel Biz News —
More than 50 per cent of the population in the European region could be infected with Omicron in the next 6–8 weeks, WHO Europe warned.
“Fifty of the 53 countries in Europe and central Asia have now reported cases of Omicron. It is quickly becoming the dominant variant in western Europe and is now spreading in the Balkans, “said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.
The current population of Europe is 748 million, based on the latest United Nations estimates.Europe population is equivalent to 9.78 per cent of the total world population.
The region saw over 7 million newly reported cases of COVID-19 in the first week of 2022, more than doubling over a 2-week period. As of 10 January, 26 countries report that over 1% of their population is catching COVID-19 each week.
“The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), forecasts that more than 50 per cent of the population in the region will be infected with Omicron within six to eight weeks, “he added.
Dr. Kluge reiterated that the currently approved vaccines do continue to provide good protection against severe disease and death, including for Omicron.
Recent data confirms that Omicron is highly transmissible – because the mutations it has enable it to adhere to human cells more easily, and it can infect even those who have been previously infected or vaccinated.
“Due to unprecedented scale of transmission, we are now seeing rising COVID-19 hospitalizations. It is challenging health systems and service delivery in many countries where Omicron has spread at speed, and threatens to overwhelm in many more, “he added in a statement issued by WHO Europe.
“As we brace ourselves for what lies ahead, I have 3 messages today, to manage the impact on health services, economies and societies, “he said.
Firstly, for countries not yet hit by the Omicron surge, there is a closing window of opportunity to act now and plan for contingencies. Omicron moves faster and wider than any SARS-CoV-2 variant that we have previously seen.
Secondly, where the Omicron surge has begun, the priority should be to avoid and reduce harm among the vulnerable and minimize disruption to health systems and essential services.
“My third point is about schools. Keeping schools open has important benefits for children’s mental, social and educational well-being. Schools should be the last places to close and the first to reopen, “he concluded.
11 January 2022
Photo: Patients are treated for COVID-19 at a hospital in Kramatorsk, Ukraine. ( UNICEF/Evgeniy Maloletka)
