15 countries and spreading: Where has the Omicron variant been spotted
Hindustan TimesThe Omicron variant of coronavirus is being feared upon due to its increased transmissibility and possible resistance to vaccines. France’s health ministry also said om Sunday that eight new Omicron cases have surfaced in the country. Here is the full list of countries where cases have been reported till now: South Africa Botswana Belgium Hong Kong Israel United Kingdom The Netherlands Germany Czech Republic Austria Denmark Australia Italy Canada France A South African doctor who was one of the first to suspect a different coronavirus strain said on Sunday that symptoms of Omicron were so far mild and could be treated at home. Dr Angelique Coetzee, chair of South African Medical Association, told news agency Reuters that unlike with Delta, so far patients have not reported loss of smell or taste and there has been no major drop in oxygen levels with the new variant. Even as many developed countries are giving third-dose boosters, less than 7% of people in poorer countries have received their first COVID-19 shot, according to medical and human rights groups.