Thinking Omicron as a mild disease is very dangerous: WHO

Digital Desk: As the world grapples with the massive Covid outbreak, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that taking Omicron as a mild disease is very dangerous.

Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s Covid-19 Technical Lead, stated, “Yes, oversimplified narratives can be dangerous. While there is a lesser likelihood of hospitalization when compared to Delta, However, it is dangerous to assume that Omicron is just a mild disease. Even with lesser risk, we will see hospitals overburdened. Please use caution.”

The WHO has issued many warnings to governments about the increased surge of Covid cases caused by the Omicron strain. It had already issued a covid tsunami warning and requested that events and gatherings be cancelled.

Meanwhile, Dr PS Chandra, Professor of Neurosurgery at AIIMS in Delhi, believes that the covid-19 cases that are currently on the rise in the country will begin to decline in a few weeks, but prudence is advised and that we should plan for the worst while praying for the best.

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Speaking to ANI, he said, “There are reasons to assume that this will be ended in a matter of weeks, as it happened in Africa, where the number of cases is currently decreasing. These are the silver linings, but we must proceed with caution for several reasons.

First and foremost, it is extremely contagious, so we should be responsible for our safety. So, keep concealing, keep social distancing, and keep working from home. Avoid excessive travel, avoid unnecessary gatherings, and public gatherings should be avoided at any costs.”

Further, he added that the Omicron virus is very contagious and will increase herd immunity.

On Thursday, India recorded 90,928 new covid-19 cases, more than 56% from the previous day.

According to the data, the total number of deaths increased to 4,82,876, with 325 more fatalities.

As per the data updated on Wednesday by the Union health ministry, a total of 2,630 cases of the Omicron have been found across 23 states and Union Territories, with 995 of them recovering or migrating.

As the number of Covid cases continues to climb, several governments have enacted limitations such as night curfews.