"Omicron to Become Dominant Strain in Europe Within Weeks"

UK, Over 430 Cases Two Weeks After First Infection
"To Surpass Delta as Dominant Variant Starting Next Month"

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] There is a prediction that the new COVID-19 variant Omicron will become the dominant strain in Europe within weeks.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 7th (local time), "Governments and scientists across Europe believe that Omicron has higher transmissibility than any previous variant."

In fact, in the UK, the cumulative number of cases rose to 437 on the day, less than two weeks after the first Omicron infection was reported. This was due to a sharp increase of 101 new cases in a single day.

Professors Fran?ois Balloux of University College London (UCL) and Neil Ferguson of Imperial College London said, "The number of Omicron infections is doubling every three days," adding, "Omicron will surpass Delta as the dominant strain in the UK by next month."

In Norway, 30 out of 130 attendees at a company's Christmas party held on the 26th of last month were infected with Omicron. WSJ explained, "This case shows how easily the virus spreads among fully vaccinated individuals."

Preben Aavitsland, chief physician at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, said, "Even if vaccines do not prevent infection, we expect them to remain effective in preventing severe illness," and added, "Omicron will become the dominant strain across Europe and Norway within two months at the latest."

As of this date, Omicron infections have been reported in 50 countries worldwide. In Europe, cases have been confirmed in Greece, the Czech Republic, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, Belgium, the UK, Denmark, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, and others.

The European Union (EU) member states are considering implementing joint entry restrictions against Omicron. Major foreign media reported that EU health ministers discussed requiring all incoming travelers to submit negative test certificates on this day.

Currently, countries such as the Netherlands, France, and Portugal have each implemented entry restrictions. The Netherlands requires negative tests only from non-EU countries, while France requires them from all countries, indicating a need for unified measures.

EU health authorities initially imposed entry restrictions on seven countries in southern Africa during the early spread of Omicron. An anonymous source told foreign media, "Although the number of countries with Omicron cases has increased to 50, there have been no calls to expand or modify the scope of these measures as of today."

EU member states plan to discuss specific measures once additional information about Omicron becomes available. Foreign media reported, "Once more data on Omicron is obtained, entry restrictions will be formulated based on that," and "Health authorities plan to hold an additional meeting on the 10th."