WHO confirms ‘Omicron’ Covid-19 variant in 23 countries

The Omicron Covid-19 variant, which was discovered in southern Africa last month, has now spread to as many as 23 countries, the director-general of World Health Organisation (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

As per WHO, the mix of low vaccination coverage and low testing rates are creating a fertile breeding ground for new Covid variants. Blanket travel bans will not prevent the spread of the Omicron variant of coronavirus and they place a heavy burden on lives and livelihoods.