Omicron is not common cold, dangerous to suggest it is ‘just a mild’ disease: WHO
The World Health Organization has cautioned that the new variant of concern is not ‘just a mild’ disease. It warned of increasing deaths among the vulnerable and elderly. Meanwhile, India confirmed its first Omicron-related death yesterday. More details here.
Yesterday on January 5, India logged 90,928 new COVID19 cases and 325 deaths. Photo: Pixabay
As the daily COVID19 cases continue to surge fuelled by the highly infectious Omicron variant in India, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said it is dangerous to suggest that Omicron is ‘just a mild’ disease.
“Oversimplified narratives can be dangerous. While we see lower risk of hospitalisation compared to Delta, to suggest that Omicron is “just a mild” disease is dangerous. Cases are astounding even with lower risk, we will see hospitals overwhelmed. Please be careful,” Infectious Disease Epidemiologist and WHO’s COVID19 Technical Lead Maria Van Kerkhove stated on Twitter on January 5.
“Omicron is not the common cold, and that rhetoric that is out there, that narrative that is out there, is dangerous, and it is deadly. This virus, Omicron, will reach vulnerable populations. It will reach older populations and we will see increasing deaths among those individuals, So to suggest that Omicron is just a mild infection, is really, really dangerous,” she said.
Interestingly, three days back on January 3, Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had stated that the Omicron is “just a common viral fever”. India’s most populous state is currently witnessing massive campaigning and public gatherings ahead of its assembly elections.
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“While it is true that Omicron infections can spread rapidly, it is also true that the Omicron variant is much weaker than the second wave. It is just a common viral fever. Taking precautions is necessary, however, there is no need to panic,” he told reporters in Lucknow on January 3.
A day later WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan tweeted: “Omicron is NOT the common cold! Health systems can get overwhelmed. Important to have systems to test, advise and monitor a large number of patients as the surge can be sudden and huge.”
In India, the daily COVID19 cases are increasingly fuelled by the increasing Omicron cases. Yesterday on January 5, India logged 90,928 new COVID19 cases and 325 deaths. A day before on January 4, about 58,000 daily coronavirus cases were reported.
As per the data shared by the Union health ministry this morning, 2,630 cases of the Omicron variant have been detected across 24 states and Union Territories in the country so far. The active caseload of COVID19 cases in the country now stands at 285,401.
The Union Health Ministry, yesterday on January 5, confirmed the first Omicron-related death in the country. A 74-year-old man who had diabetes and comorbid conditions succumbed to the virus last week on December 31 in Rajasthan’s Udaipur.