Omicron poses 'very high' global risk, but data on severity limited: WHO December 13, 2021 at 12:00AM

Omicron, reported in over 60 countries, poses a "very high" global risk, with some evidence that it evades vaccine protection but clinical data on its severity remain limited, the World Health Organisation says. Considerable uncertainties surround Omicron, first detected last month in South Africa and Hong Kong, whose mutations may lead to higher transmissibility and more cases of Covid-19 disease, the WHO said in a technical brief issued on Sunday.