The World Health Organisation -WHO, on Tuesday said that, the BA.
2 variant of the Omicron coronavirus strain is not more severe than the original.
According to the sample of people from various countries, “we are not seeing a difference in the severity of BA.
1 compared to BA.
2,” Maria Van Kerkhove, a senior WHO official, said in an online question and answer session.
”
“So this is a similar level of severity as it relates to the risk of hospitalisation.
And this is really important because, in many countries, they’ve had a substantial amount of circulation, both of BA.
1 and BA.
2,” she said.
Van Kerkhove, who leads the technical side of the WHO’s COVID-19 response team, was reporting the findings of a committee of experts tracking the evolution of the virus.
Their conclusions will come as a relief to countries such as Denmark, where the BA.
2 variant of Omicron has circulated widely.
Okwuego/PHW
Omicron variant no more severe than original strain -WHO