Global Health

Amid the global concern over a new coronavirus strain has been one piece of hopeful news: Those infected with the omicron variant appear to have “very mild” symptoms, according to the South African doctor who first spotted the variant.

Dr. Angelique Coetzee told the BBC that neither she nor her colleagues had admitted anyone who had the strain to the hospital so far. Her patients had experienced extreme fatigue but no loss of taste or smell, which are often telltale symptoms of Covid-19, she said.

The early reports are encouraging, epidemiologists and other experts said. 

Omicron outbreak turns up heat on EU over vaccine access India and South Africa want a waiver on patents, but Brussels is not budging. POLITICO

An outbreak of the new Omicron coronavirus variant in Southern Africa is boosting critics of the EU, who say that Brussels is preventing a quick roll-out of jabs across poor nations by zealously defending vaccine patents.

LONDON — The global risk of the new omicron variant is “very high,” the World Health Organization said Monday, as more countries reported cases of the variant, sparking worldwide concern that there is more pandemic suffering ahead.

In response to the spike in cases, an increasing number of nations are tightening their borders despite pleas for caution and outbursts of dismay from some.