Omicron risk remains 'very high': WHO
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Splash
  • Features
  • Videos
  • Long Read
  • Games
  • Epaper
  • More
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Subscribe
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard
TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022
TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Splash
  • Features
  • Videos
  • Long Read
  • Games
  • Epaper
  • More
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Subscribe
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
Omicron risk remains 'very high': WHO

Coronavirus chronicle

BSS/AFP
29 December, 2021, 10:00 am
Last modified: 29 December, 2021, 03:20 pm

Related News

  • WHO members pass resolution against Russia
  • Covid deaths in Bangladesh almost 5x more than official stats: WHO 
  • Covid led to 15 million deaths globally, not the 5 million reported - WHO
  • WHO to hold urgent meeting on Ukraine invasion's health impact
  • Covid's new Omicron sub-lineages can dodge immunity from past infection, study says

Omicron risk remains 'very high': WHO

"The rapid growth rate is likely to be a combination of both immune evasion and intrinsic increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant."

BSS/AFP
29 December, 2021, 10:00 am
Last modified: 29 December, 2021, 03:20 pm
File Photo: A logo is pictured on the headquarters of the World Health Orgnaization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland, June 25, 2020. Photo: Reuters/Denis Balibouse
File Photo: A logo is pictured on the headquarters of the World Health Orgnaization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland, June 25, 2020. Photo: Reuters/Denis Balibouse

The risk posed by the Omicron variant is still "very high", the World Health Organization said Wednesday, after Covid- 19 case numbers shot up by 11 percent globally last week.

Omicron is behind rapid virus spikes in several countries, including those where it has already overtaken the previously-dominant Delta variant, the WHO said in its Covid-19 weekly epidemiological update.

"The overall risk related to the new variant of concern Omicron remains very high," the UN health agency said.

"Consistent evidence shows that the Omicron variant has a growth advantage over the Delta variant with a doubling time of two to three days and rapid increases in the incidence of cases is seen in a number of countries," including Britain and the United States, where it has become the dominant variant.

"The rapid growth rate is likely to be a combination of both immune evasion and intrinsic increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant."

However, the WHO highlighted the 29 percent decrease in the incidence of cases observed in South Africa -- the country which first reported the variant to the WHO on November 24.

It said early data from Britain, South Africa and Denmark -- which currently has the world's highest rate of infection per person -- suggested there was a reduced risk of hospitalisation for Omicron compared to Delta.

However, further data was needed to understand Omicron's severity in terms of clinical markers, including the use of oxygen, mechanical ventilation and death.

More data was also required on how the severity might be being impacted by previous Covid infection, or vaccination.

"It is also expected that corticosteroids and interleukin 6 receptor blockers will remain effective in the management of patients with severe disease," the WHO said.

"However, preliminary data suggest that monoclonal antibodies may be less able to neutralise the Omicron variant."

 - Rise in cases -

The WHO said that in the week ending Sunday, following a gradual increase since October, the global number of new cases rose by 11 percent compared to the previous week, while the number of new deaths dipped by four percent.

"This corresponds to just under five million new cases and over 44,000 new deaths," the Geneva-based organisation said.

The highest numbers of new cases were reported from the United States, Britain, France and Italy.

Top News / World+Biz

omicron / risk / WHO

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Photo: PID
    Prioritise dev projects, spend wisely: PM Hasina 
  • Workers carry sacks of wheat for sifting at a grain mill on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, India, May 16, 2022. REUTERS/Amit Dave
    India to allow wheat shipments awaiting customs clearance
  • EU’s Green Deal: Will Bangladesh’s export suffer in the long run?
    EU’s Green Deal: Will Bangladesh’s export suffer in the long run?

MOST VIEWED

  • Two women hug at a closed street during lockdown, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Shanghai, China, May 16, 2022. REUTERS/Aly Song
    Shanghai achieves 'zero Covid' status but normal life is weeks away
  • People wearing protective face masks commute amid concerns over the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Pyongyang, North Korea March 30, 2020, in this photo released by Kyodo. Picture taken March 30, 2020. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS
    N Korea mobilises army, steps up tracing amid Covid wave
  • Customers wait in front of a restaurant in Beijing, China April 15, 2022. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/Files
    China's economy skids as lockdowns hit factories, retailers
  • A medical worker in a protective suit collects a swab from a resident at a makeshift nucleic acid testing site inside a residential compound under lockdown, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Shanghai, China April 14, 2022. REUTERS/Xihao Jiang
    Shanghai aims for return to normal life from 1 June
  • South Korea's new President Yoon Suk-yeol signs a document as he works at the new Presidential office in Seoul, South Korea, May 10, 2022. Yonhap via REUTERS/File Photo
    S Korea says it will spare no effort to help North Korea amid Covid outbreak
  • North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wears a face mask amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak, while inspecting a pharmacy in Pyongyang, in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on May 15, 2022. KCNA via REUTERS
    Kim Jong Un orders North Korea military to 'stabilise' drug supply amid Covid outbreak

Related News

  • WHO members pass resolution against Russia
  • Covid deaths in Bangladesh almost 5x more than official stats: WHO 
  • Covid led to 15 million deaths globally, not the 5 million reported - WHO
  • WHO to hold urgent meeting on Ukraine invasion's health impact
  • Covid's new Omicron sub-lineages can dodge immunity from past infection, study says

Features

Despite Bangladesh having about 24,000 km of waterways, only a few hundred kilometres are covered by commercial launch services. Photo: Saad Abdullah

Utilising waterways: When common home-goers show the way

3h | Panorama
Illustration: TBS

How Putin revived Nato

5h | Panorama
The reception is a volumetric box-shaped room that has two glass walls on both the front and back ends and the other two walls are adorned with interior plants, wood and aluminium screens. Photo: Noor-A-Alam

The United House: Living and working inside nature

5h | Habitat
Pcycle team members at a waste management orientation event. Photo: Courtesy

Pcycle: Turning waste from bins into beautiful crafts

6h | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

Can your coworker be your closest friend?

Can your coworker be your closest friend?

6h | Videos
The mystery behind Pyramid

The mystery behind Pyramid

7h | Videos
Finland, Sweden decide to join NATO

Finland, Sweden decide to join NATO

18h | Videos
Where you can swim for Tk5

Where you can swim for Tk5

20h | Videos

Most Read

1
Representative Photo: Pixabay.
Bangladesh

Microplastics found in 5 local sugar brands

2
Mushfiq Mobarak. Photo: Noor-A-Alam
Panorama

Meet the Yale professor who anchors his research in Bangladesh and scales up interventions globally

3
Impact of falling taka against US dollar
Banking

Taka losing more value as global currency market volatility persists

4
Govt tightens belt to relieve reserve
Economy

Govt tightens belt to relieve reserve

5
Union Capital asked to return Tk100cr FDR to BATBC 
Banking

Union Capital asked to return Tk100cr FDR to BATBC 

6
How Bangladesh can achieve edible oil self-sufficiency with local alternatives
Bazaar

How Bangladesh can achieve edible oil self-sufficiency with local alternatives

The Business Standard
Top
  • Home
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • About Us
  • Bangladesh
  • International
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Economy
  • Sitemap
  • RSS

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net

Copyright © 2022 THE BUSINESS STANDARD All rights reserved. Technical Partner: RSI Lab