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The global risk from the Omicron coronavirus variant is “very high”, the World Health Organization warned, as countries including the UK as well as the EU imposed travel restrictions and Japan moved to ban foreign visitors.
Outlining its preliminary findings on the strain first detected in southern Africa, the health body warned of its potentially “severe consequences”, as scientists raced to understand the effect of its multiple mutations on the severity of disease and its effect on natural and vaccine-caused immunity.
Anecdotal reports from South Africa over the weekend appeared to suggest that the disease produced milder symptoms although scientists stressed it was too early to tell.
In the UK, as confirmed…
