WHO warns of Omicron overload

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that the Omicron coronavirus variant could lead to overwhelmed healthcare systems even though early studies suggest that it sparks milder disease.
Coronavirus (Covid-19) surges have wreaked havoc around the world, forcing many nations to make tough choices between economically punishing restrictions and controlling the spread of the virus.
The United States has halved the isolation period for asymptomatic cases to try and blunt the disruption (see Page 6), while France has ordered companies to have employees work from home at least three days a week.
Contact restrictions were in place in Germany for the second year in a row heading into the New Year, as Europe’s biggest economy shuttered nightclubs and forced sports competitions behind closed doors.
The surges in many countries have been propelled by the highly transmissible Omicron variant, with the Netherlands and Switzerland both saying yesterday that it has now become the dominant strain in their countries.
Switzerland has one of the highest infection rates in continental Europe, with people in their 20s the most affected, officials told a press conference in the capital Bern.
Around 55% of Swiss cases are now due to Omicron, and the variant is soon expected to represent almost all recorded infections.
The WHO warned against complacency even though preliminary findings suggest that Omicron could lead to milder disease.
“A rapid growth of Omicron ... even if combined with a slightly milder disease, will still result in large numbers of hospitalisations, particularly amongst unvaccinated groups, and cause widespread disruption to health systems and other critical services,” warned WHO Europe’s Covid Incident Manager Catherine Smallwood.
To hold back the tide, European nations brought back curbs with painful economic and social consequences.
Facing record-high infections, France stopped short of issuing a stay-at-home order but called on employers to make staff work from home three days a week where possible.
France reported a record high of 179,807 new confirmed coronavirus cases in a 24-hour period yesterday, by far the highest daily number since the start of the pandemic.
The previous record of 104,611 was set on Saturday, after the 86,852 high of November 11, 2020 was broken with two consecutive days of more than 90,000 new cases per day at the end of last week.
Portugal reported yesterday record-high daily coronavirus cases despite having one of the world’s highest vaccination rates.
Health authorities registered 17,172 new infections in the past 24 hours, surpassing the previous record of 16,432 established on January 28 when the Alpha variant, first identified in Britain, swept through the southern European nation.
Almost 90% of Portugal’s population has been vaccinated and almost 2.4mn people have received a third “booster” jab.
The United Arab Emirates is the only country with a higher proportion of vaccinated people.
Finland said yesterday that it would bar unvaccinated foreign travellers from entering.
Only residents, essential workers or diplomats will be exempt.
A border guard spokesman confirmed to AFP that unvaccinated foreigners would be turned away unless they were on a list of exceptions that includes Finland residents, essential workers and diplomats.
The measure also affects EU nationals.
“Regardless of the foreign citizen’s origin, everyone must present a vaccination certificate and a negative test less than 48 hours old,” said Tomi Kivenjuuri of the border guard.
A day earlier, Denmark – which currently has the world’s highest rate of infection per capita – applied the same measure.
In Germany, private gatherings are now limited to 10 vaccinated people – or two households where any unvaccinated people are present – and nightclubs have been closed.
All sports competitions will now be held behind closed doors.
“Something has to be done to bring the infection figures down,” a Berlin resident told AFP TV.
However, not all accepted the measures.
Thousands of protesters went on the march across Germany late on Monday against the curbs, with some hurling fireworks or bottles at police and leaving at least 12 officers injured.
Beyond social strife, the pandemic has been punishing economically, in particular for sectors like travel.
Some 11,500 flights have been scrapped worldwide since Friday, and tens of thousands more delayed, during one of the year’s busiest travel periods.
Multiple airlines have blamed staffing shortages caused by spikes of Omicron cases.
Daily new coronavirus cases in Turkey jumped beyond 30,000 yesterday for the first time since October 19, data showed.
Turkey recorded 32,176 cases and 184 deaths yesterday, health ministry data showed.
“Due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, it can be seen we are now entering a rising trend,” Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Twitter, urging Turks to get vaccinated and receive their booster shots.
At the weekend, Koca said that more than 10% of Covid-19 cases in Turkey were caused by Omicron.
It announced its first six Omicron cases on December 11.
In Belgium, a court suspended the closure of entertainment venues, including theatres, a measure announced last week by Prime Minister Alexander De Croo to stem the spread of the Omicron variant.
The authorities have not demonstrated “in what way entertainment venues are particularly dangerous places for (people’s) health ... in that they would spread coronavirus, to the extent necessary to order their closure”, said the Council of State, Belgium’s highest administrative court.
Greece reported a new daily record of 21,657 Covid-19 infections yesterday, more than double the level of the day before.
“Omicron prevails, so we should be prepared and this should not cause panic,” Greek Health Minister Thanos Plevris told state TV ERT.
The country had reported 9,284 cases on Monday, when the government announced tighter curbs would be put in place from January 3-16 to contain infections, targeting mainly night-time entertainment venues.
Authorities had also tightened curbs last week, mandating masks in open spaces and banning Christmas and New Year festivities in public places.