WHO Expects Increase in Infections, Deaths Globally due to 'Omicron'  

The World Health Organization (WHO) expects an increase in the number of recoveries and deaths caused by the "Omicron" mutant.

"With the increase in cases of the mutation of concern around the world, it is also expected to record a significant increase in hospital admissions and even deaths," the United Nations organization said.

"Many countries still do not have the ability to analyze samples from all infections or deaths, so it may be difficult to provide accurate information on deaths caused by the mutant," WHO added.

The NDTV said that the Omicron coronavirus variant, reported in more than 60 countries, poses a "very high" global risk. some evidence show that it evades vaccine protection but clinical data on its severity remain limited, according to WHO.

Considerable uncertainties surround the  Omicron, first detected last month in South Africa and Hong Kong, whose mutations may lead to higher transmissibility and more cases of COVID-19 disease, WHO said in a technical brief issued on Sunday.

"The overall risk related to the new variant of concern Omicron remains very high for a number of reasons," the WHO  said, reiterating its first assessment of Nov. 29.

" The second, preliminary evidence suggests potential human immune escape against infection and high transmission rates, which could lead to further surges with severe consequences," WHO said, referring to the virus' potential ability to evade immunity provided by antibodies.

WHO cited some preliminary evidence that the number of people getting re-infected with the virus has increased in South Africa.

While preliminary findings from South Africa suggest that Omicron may be less severe than the Delta variant - currently dominant worldwide - and all cases reported in the Europe region have been mild or asymptomatic, it remains unclear to what extent Omicron may be inherently less virulent, it said.

"More data are needed to understand the severity profile," it said.

"Even if the severity is potentially lower than for the Delta variant, it is expected that hospitalizations will increase as a result of increasing transmission.

More hospitalizations can put a burden on health systems and lead to more deaths."

Further information was expected in the

coming weeks, it added, noting the time lag between infections and outcomes.