Wednesday’s warning by the World Health Organization was to not consider the mild omicron Covid strain of the virus a treatment option, as it can cause severe illnesses.

Maria Van Kerkhove (WHO’s Covid-19 technical leader) said that people with the omicron virus can develop severe diseases and even death.

On Tuesday, WHO issued a warning that the omicron virus is now spreading more rapidly than any other variant. Van Kerkhove warned Wednesday of an increased risk for transmission that could result in more hospitalizations and a greater burden on health-care system, with some systems going bankrupt.

Van Kerkhove explained, “If the system is overwhelmed, people will die.” “We must be careful not to create a false narrative about it being a minor disease.

Van Kerkhove explained that severe disease is still possible for the elderly, those with chronic health problems, and unvaccinated people.

Director of WHO’s emergency program for health, Dr. Mike Ryan said that the Omicron variant doubles every 2 days in Britain.

Ryan stated that if you have 100,000 cases, then in two days it will be 200,000, then it will become 400,000, then 800,000. Two days later it will reach 800,000. The number of cases could increase 8-10 times over the course of one week. That’s why we are concerned. 

Van Kerkhove stated that people should continue to practice Covid prevention practices such as wearing masks and keeping away from other people. He also suggested washing their hands.

We must act immediately. You don’t have to wait. It is not a good idea to delay until there are more hospitalizations. She also noted that certain countries have already seen an increase in hospitalizations. With holidays approaching, there is more social mixing. People need to evaluate their actions and decide what’s best for themselves and for their families.

On Wednesday, the U.K. reported that it had seen more than 78,000 cases of Covid infection in 24 hours since the outbreak. Boris Johnson, British Prime Minster, has predicted a “tidal tsunami” of Omicron Infections in the next days.