countries, including the United Kingdom, where the first publicly confirmed death globally from the strain was reported.
While deaths from Omicron may have occurred in other countries, this was the first publicly confirmed fatality. Details on the death have not been revealed by Britain, therefore it remains unclear if the patient was vaccinated or was suffering from any underlying health issues. “Sadly at least one patient has now been confirmed to have died with Omicron,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson told reporters at a vaccination centre in London, on Monday.
“So I think the idea that this is somehow a milder version of the virus – I think that’s something we need to set (to) one side – and just recognise the sheer pace at which it accelerates through the population,” he added.
The first Omicron case was detected in Britain on 27 November, and since then the government has imposed tougher restrictions, with the aim of curbing the spread of the virus. On Sunday evening, the senior medical officials for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland raised the Coronavirus alert level of the United Kingdom from three to four, warning the public that reduced vaccine effectiveness, and the increased transmissibility of Omicron could once again overwhelm the National Health Service.
According to Health Secretary Sajid Javid of the new variant accounts for 44 per cent of the COVID infections in London, and is expected to become the dominant strain in the capital city within 48 hours. Prior to the death announced on Monday, 10 people were hospitalised in various parts of England, on account of Omicron. Their ages ranges between 18 and 85 years and most of them had reportedly received two doses of a Coronavirus vaccine.
