"Omicron Breaks Through Vaccinated and Recovered Individuals, Warns WHO"
Omicron Establishes Itself as the Dominant Variant in the United States
[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that even those vaccinated against COVID-19 and those who have recovered from infection can be infected with the new variant virus, Omicron.
According to EFE news agency on the 20th (local time), WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press conference, "There is consistent evidence that the Omicron variant is spreading faster than the Delta variant," adding, "People who have been vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 are more likely to be infected again with the Omicron variant."
He said, "Reports that the Omicron variant causes milder symptoms compared to the Delta variant may not represent the overall situation," and added, "It is better to cancel today's celebrations and celebrate life tomorrow than to enjoy today's festivities and be sad tomorrow."
Travelers wearing masks are lining up to check in at Miami Airport in Florida, USA, on the 20th (local time). / Photo by Yonhap News
View original imageOn the same day, in the United States, the Omicron variant, which emerged less than a month ago, became the dominant strain.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that last week, 73% of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. were infected with the Omicron variant. The CDC explained, "The Omicron variant has now become the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the United States."
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Until now, the dominant strain in the U.S. was the Delta variant. According to CDC data, from November 28 to December 4, 99.3% of COVID-19 infections were caused by the Delta variant. However, the proportion of Omicron infections in the U.S. increased about sixfold in less than a week, and it is estimated that more than 650,000 people were infected with Omicron in the U.S. last week.
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