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WHO warns against concluding Omicron is milder variantSwaminathan that the perception appeared to be based on data from South Africa which might give a misleading impression
Reuters
Last Updated IST
WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan. Credit: Reuters file photo
WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan. Credit: Reuters file photo

The World Health Organization's chief scientist said on Monday it was too early to conclude the Omicron variant was milder than other coronavirus strains, saying it could still make enough people sick to "overburden" healthcare systems.

"...It is probably unwise to sit back and think this is a mild variant, it's not going to cause severe disease, because I think with the numbers going up all health systems are going to be under strain," Soumya Swaminathan told Geneva-based journalists.

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She added that this perception appeared to be based on initial data out of parts of South Africa which might give a misleading impression due to high levels of existing immunity among the population.

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(Published 20 December 2021, 23:58 IST)