Omicron coronavirus has been detected in 89 countries. In areas where there is community transmission, cases are increasing by 1.5-3 days.

Omicron has been spreading quickly in countries where there is high population immunity. However, it is not known if Omicron’s ability to evade immunity, increased transmissibility, or both.

On Nov. 26, omicron was identified and the agency declared it a variant of concern. Much remains to be known, especially about the extent of its illness.

According to the WHO, “there are not sufficient data regarding Omicron’s clinical severity.” To understand Omicron’s severity profile, and to see how vaccination and pre-existing immunity impact severity, more data are required.

“There are limited data available and no peer reviewed evidence on the effectiveness of vaccines for Omicron.”

WHO advised that there could be an overload in hospitals due to rapid growth of the cases.

“Hospitalizations continue to increase in South Africa and the U.K., with rapidly growing case numbers, it’s possible for many healthcare systems to become overwhelmed.”