Covid: Three billion cases driven by Omicron variant possible in two months, says research

An independent health research centre at the University of Washington has said that more than three billion coronavirus infections driven by the Omicron variant could occur in the next two months. The detected infections will be three times more than the previous record highs.

The observations were made in a report by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.

“Peak transmission should be in mid-January with over 35 million global infections a day, nearly three times the Delta wave peak in April,” said Dr Christopher Murray, the director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.

The report stated that the Omicron variant is more transmissible than the Delta variant. There is a 40% to 60% chance of the new strain evading the immune system’s response to it.

According to the research, 90% to 95% persons infected with the variant will be symptomatic – likely up from 40% for Delta and prior variants.

However, it also shared that based on the best available data, the infection-hospitalisation rate for Omicron is 97% to 99% lower than for the Delta variant.

Given the immune escape and transmissibility, Omicron will reach all countries soon, the report stated. Even countries with strict border controls like New Zealand are likely to witness a surge in cases led…

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