Omicron: New COVID-19 variant one of the major concern- Here’s why

New Delhi: The new COVID-19 variant ‘Omicron’ has caused worry among governments around the world.

World Health Organization (WHO) has identified the new South African strain as one of the major concern as it is reported to carry a high number of mutations — 32 — which possibly makes it more transmissible and dangerous.

The WHO has dubbed it Omicron, the 15th letter of the Greek alphabet.

Following the reports about the new variant, the United States, the European Union, Canada, Israel, Australia and other countries have restricted travel from several southern African nations over the health concerns.

Earlier in the day, the Chairperson of Council of the World Medical Association, Frank Ulrich Montgomery, expressed concern that the new coronavirus strain might be as dangerous as the Ebola virus, and as contagious as the Delta coronavirus variant, Sputnik reported.