"Half of the European Population Infected with Omicron Within 6 to 8 Weeks"

Hans Kluge, Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe [Photo by Reuters]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The World Health Organization (WHO) has predicted that more than half of the European population will be infected with the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 within two months.

Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, said at a briefing on the 11th (local time), "The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington School of Medicine expects that over 50% of the population in the European region will be infected with Omicron within the next 6 to 8 weeks."

According to Director Kluge, Omicron is spreading in 50 out of the 53 countries under the jurisdiction of the WHO Regional Office for Europe. In the first week of the new year alone, more than 7 million infections were reported in Europe, which is more than double the number from two weeks ago.

Kluge warned, "Twenty-six countries in the European region report that more than 1% of their population is confirmed to have COVID-19 each week," adding, "The window of opportunity to prevent healthcare systems in these countries from being overwhelmed is closing."

He also stated, "Omicron, which quickly became the dominant variant in Western Europe, is now spreading in the Balkans and Eastern Europe," and "Countries with low vaccination rates will see higher numbers of casualties."

Kluge emphasized, "Omicron is spreading faster and more widely than any variant we have experienced," urging countries to mandate indoor mask-wearing and prioritize vaccination efforts such as booster shots for healthcare workers, the elderly, and other vulnerable groups.

The WHO Regional Office for Europe warned that COVID-19 should not yet be treated as an endemic disease like the flu.

Catherine Smallwood, WHO Senior Emergency Officer for the European Region, explained, "The reason Omicron is being seen as a much milder infection across Western Europe and Israel is due to high vaccination rates."

She added, "There is still great uncertainty regarding Omicron, and its rapid spread presents a new challenge," emphasizing, "Now is not the time to call it an endemic disease."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.