There have been no known deaths or even serious cases of COVID-19 caused by the Omicron variant in Europe, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said Wednesday.
Of the 337 confirmed cases of the Omicron strain reported within the European Union (EU) thus far, there have been no known deaths, and every case for which severity is known has been asymptomatic or mild. A majority of the confirmed cases have a link to travel from Africa, the agency said in a release.
Scientists are still working to determine just how dangerous Omicron is. Most agree that it is more contagious than prior variants that have emerged, but more evidence is coming in to suggest that it isn’t as deadly. Dr. Anthony Fauci said Tuesday that Omicron is “almost certainly” less severe than the Delta variant.
0% of COVID deaths are due to Omicron. It’s dominant only in South Africa
Delta is dominant globally and causing nearly 99% of COVID deaths
The point is: Forget the hype; Get vaccinated against a clear and present danger
— Faheem Younus, MD (@FaheemYounus) December 8, 2021
South Africa remains the only country in the world where Omicron is the dominant strain. Everywhere else it is still the Delta variant, which swept across the United States over the second half of 2021, leading to a new surge in deaths. (RELATED: Why Hasn’t Dr. Fauci Told Americans To Stop Being So G*****n Fat?)
Pfizer said Wednesday its vaccine still offers high levels of protection against Omicron, but that a third dose was needed to match the level of protection offered by two doses against earlier variants.