GENEVA

The new coronavirus variant Omicron poses a “very high” risk globally, the World Health Organization warned on Monday.

“If another major surge of COVID-19 takes place driven by Omicron, consequences may be severe,” the agency said in a technical note issued to members ahead of a special session.

“Increasing cases, regardless of a change in severity, may pose overwhelming demands on healthcare systems and may lead to increased morbidity and mortality.”

It said the overall global risk related to Omicron, which the WHO has already labeled a “variant of concern,” is assessed as “very high.”

The emergence of the new strain, believed to be highly transmissible and already responsible for COVID-19 spikes in some countries, has sparked worldwide panic.

Many governments have rushed to take measures to contain its spread, including closing down borders and bringing back stricter restrictions for local populations.​​​​​​​