“Unfortunately, yes, omicron is producing hospitalizations,” said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who confirmed the death of at least one patient with this variant of the coronavirus.
The first confirmed death in the world of a patient with the omicron variant occurred in the United Kingdom, the country’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Monday.
“Unfortunately, yes, omicron is causing hospitalizations, and sadly, at least one patient has been confirmed to have died [after becoming infected] with omicron,” Johnson said.
“So I think the idea that it is somehow a milder version of the virus […] is something that we have to put aside and just acknowledge the great rate at which it is accelerating through the population. That, the best thing we can all do is receive our booster [injections], “said the president.
The World Health Organization (WHO) designated the omicron variant (B.1.1.529), first detected in November on the African continent and characterized by a high number of mutations, as “worrying”. So far, the scientific community has recorded a higher transmissibility of omicron compared to the delta strain and a greater ability to bypass the protection of existing vaccines .
The strain has been detected in more than 60 countries, according to the WHO. Last week, the head of the body, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, declared that “the steps that countries take today and in the days that follow will determine how omicron will develop.” “If countries wait until their hospitals start to fill up, it will be too late. Don’t wait. Act now,” he warned.