WHO "New mutation name 'Omicron'... Designated as a 'worried mutation' due to high risk of reinfection"

The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified a new mutation in the COVID-19 virus as a 'variant of concern'.

They also named it 'Omicron', the 15th letter of the Greek alphabet.

In a statement, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated that "Omicron has many mutations," and said, "Compared to other mutations, the risk of reinfection with this mutation appears to be increased."

A 'variant of concern' is classified when the transmission or fatality rate of the mutant virus becomes severe, and resistance to current treatments or vaccines increases and an initial investigation is ongoing.

Previously, 'delta mutations' first discovered in India were also designated as 'variants of concern'.

The WHO said that Omicron was first identified in specimens collected on the 9th, and South Africa reported a new strain on the 24th.

"In recent weeks, the number of infected people has increased dramatically with the appearance of this mutation," the WHO said.

The WHO also ordered countries to strengthen surveillance and sequencing of COVID-19 mutations, submit genomic sequence data, and report the first outbreak of the mutation of concern and cases of mass infection.

The new mutation has 32 mutations in the 'spike protein'.

The virus isSince it uses 'spike protein' to penetrate into host cells, a mutation in the spike protein can cause a change in propagation power.

At the same time, it can affect the effectiveness of the vaccine, such as avoiding the body's immune system.

For this reason, scientists set out to analyze whether the new mutation had as high a transmission power as the old delta mutation, which the WHO estimates would take weeks to obtain.