Omicron variant could fuel global surge with ‘severe consequences,’ WHO warns: COVID-19 updates – USA TODAY

'Omicron' variant of COVID-19 called a 'variant of concern'

Scientists don't know how contagious the new COVID-19 variant is yet.

Staff Video, USA TODAY

The omicron variant first discovered in South Africa last week is likely to quickly spread around the globe, possibly with "severe consequences," the World Health Organization warned Monday.

"There could be future surges of COVID-19, which could have severe consequences depending on a number of factors including where surges may take place," the WHO said in a technical brief. "The overall global risk related to the (omicron variant)is assessed as very high."

The WHO said there iscurrently no information to suggest symptoms associated with omicron differ from those associated withother variants.No deaths linked to the omicron variant have been reported, WHO added.

The U.S. will need about two more weeks to learn more definitive information about the omicron variant'stransmissibility and severity, Dr. Anthony Fauci told President Joe Biden on Sunday, the White House said in a statement.The variant already hasbeen identified incountries across the world, including France, Canada, Australiaand Hong Kong.

Despite the unknowns of omicron, Fauci told Biden that he believes "existing vaccines are likely to provide a degree of protection against severe cases of COVID," reiterating that booster shots on top of full vaccination will provide stronger protection.About36% of Americans have gotten their booster shots, White House COVID-19 Response CoordinatorJeff Zients said last week.

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"Vaccine" is Merriam-Webster's Word of the Year for 2021: "The biggest science story of our time quickly became the biggest debate in our country, and the word at the center of both stories isvaccine."

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director general, said it's "unacceptable" for some countries to vaccinate groups at very low risk of severe disease and giveboosters to healthy adultswhile just 1 in 4 African health workers has been vaccinated.

The Virginia Department of Health will be monitoring sewagein an effort to predict future outbreaks of COVID-19. Infected people shed the virus in bodily waste, even if theyre not showing symptoms. The goal is to provide warnings before a surge begins.

Scotland's Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said Monday that six cases of the omicron variant have been detected there. "Enhanced" contact tracing was underway.

The U.S. on Monday beganrestricting travel from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, and Malawi. Meanwhile, the WHO urged countries not to impose flight bans on southern African nations: "South Africa should be thanked for detecting, sequencing and reporting this variant, not penalized."

Today's numbers:The U.S. has recorded more than 48 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 776,000deaths,accordingtoJohns Hopkins Universitydata. Global totals: More than 261million cases and nearly 5.1million deaths. More than 196 million Americansroughly 59.1% of the populationare fully vaccinated,according to theCDC.

What we're reading:After nearly two years of combating COVID-19, health experts thought the U.S. would have been in a better position to control the pandemic. Instead, many people remain unvaccinated and ignore mitigation measures, slowing the pace of progress and burning out health care professionals.

Keep refreshing this page for the latest news. Want more?Sign up forUSA TODAY's Coronavirus Watch free newsletterto receive updates directly to your inboxandjoin ourFacebook group.

The World Health Organization's World Health Assemblybegan a special session Monday to discuss anew global treaty for responding to future pandemics.The special session, just the second in the history of the WHO, will last until Wednesday.

The session is geared toward establishing a process to draft agreements "on pandemic preparedness and response," according toa newsrelease from the organization.Tedros told the gatheringthe international response to thepandemic has been slow and uncoordinated.

"Omicrons very emergence is another reminder that although many of us might think we are done with COVID-19, it is not done with us," Tedros said. "We are living through a cycle of panic and neglect. Hard-won gains could vanish in an instant."

Cases of the omicron variant ofthe coronaviruspopped up in countries on opposite sides of the world Sunday as many governments rushed to close their borders.

Japan announced it would suspend entry of all foreign visitors hours afterIsrael decided to bar entry to foreigners.Morocco said it would suspend all incoming flights for two weeks starting Monday amonga growing raft of travel curbs being imposed by nations around the world as they scrambled to slowthe variant's spread.

Scientists in several places, from Hong Kong to Europe, have confirmed its presence since South Africa announced its presence last week.

This time the world showed it is learning, said EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, singling out South African President Cyril Ramaphosa for praise. South Africas analytic work and transparency and sharing its results was indispensable in allowing a swift global response. It no doubt saved many lives.

Canadas health minister says the country's first two cases of omicron were found in Ontario after two individuals who had recently traveled from Nigeria tested positive.

Contributing: The Associated Press

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Omicron variant could fuel global surge with 'severe consequences,' WHO warns: COVID-19 updates - USA TODAY