Omicron Identified as Covid-19 Variant of Concern, Triggering Global Fears – The Wall Street Journal

JOHANNESBURGA fast-spreading new strain of the coronavirus first detected in southern Africa is a global variant of concern and might pose a higher risk of people falling ill with Covid-19 for a second time, the World Health Organization said Friday, as governments around the globe restricted travel from the region.

WHO said there was also preliminary evidence that the variant, which it named Omicron after the Greek letter, was more transmissible than the Delta variant that is currently dominant world-wide, and other virus strains. Health authorities in Belgium, Israel, Hong Kong and Botswana said they had detected first cases of the variant.

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Omicron Identified as Covid-19 Variant of Concern, Triggering Global Fears - The Wall Street Journal