The World Health Organization has confirmed that the omicron mutant is highly contagious, but it will take some time to assess its risk.

While the spread of the virus is accelerating in the world, the Biontech company was optimistic about its ability to modify its vaccine to combat it quickly.

The World Health Organization said today, Friday, that the evaluation of the Omicron mutant will take some time, but preliminary data indicate that it is highly contagious and widespread because infections in South Africa - where it first appeared - are doubling.

The organization added that scientists are working to develop a vaccine for all corona mutants, as this is the best solution.

The World Health Organization urged Asian and Pacific countries to strengthen health care capabilities, and fully vaccinate their people in preparation for an increase in infections.

Tokyo airport disinfection to contain the virus (European)

global spread

In turn, the Australian government's chief medical adviser, Paul Kelly, told reporters, "I think Omicron will be in the (next few months) the new virus in the world."

Kelly added that there is no evidence at this point that Omicron is more dangerous than the Delta strain that swept the world earlier this year.

This comes with Australia announcing today, Friday, that it had detected the first infection with Omicron in a student who had not traveled abroad, and this indicates that the mutant has begun to spread in Australian territory.

Germany is facing a severe wave of the Corona outbreak. Health Minister Jens Young said that more than 1% of the population is currently infected with the virus, adding, "If all German adults had received the vaccination (previously), we would not have faced this difficult situation."

Statistics in Germany showed that 74,352 new injuries and 390 deaths were recorded in the past 24 hours.

Young's comments came a day after the German federal government agreed with state governments to impose stricter restrictions on unvaccinated people.

In South Korea, the authorities tightened the restrictions that they had eased on November 22, and Health Minister Kwon Deok-chul said that "the situation is getting worse ... and we have recorded infections with the omicron mutation, which we fear will spread more."

For its part, the National Health Committee of China announced today, Friday, the registration of 96 new confirmed cases of the Corona virus, up from 73 the previous day.

As for India, it recorded 9,216 new infections with the Corona virus today, a day after it announced that it had detected the first two cases of the Omicron strain.

In Italy, the Italian police arrested about 280 health workers who were not vaccinated against the Corona virus, after their vaccination became mandatory.

Global travel restrictions accelerated to contain Omicron, with Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Norway and Russia, among others, announcing new measures on Thursday, and Malaysia today also said it would tighten restrictions further.


Vaccine optimism

For his part, the head of the German Biontech company, Ugur Sahin, said - in a press conference today, Friday - that his company may be able to modify its anti-Coronavirus vaccine relatively quickly to combat the new mutant Omicron.

He added that vaccines will continue to provide protection from severe symptoms of the disease despite the mutations, noting that the mutations of the virus mean that the vaccinations are likely to become annual, as is the case with seasonal influenza.

"This strain may be able to infect the vaccinated. We expect that those who have received the vaccination will be protected from severe symptoms of the disease," he added.

It is worth noting that Biontech, in cooperation with Pfizer, produced one of the first vaccines against "Covid-19".