11:10 a.m.: The Omicron “tidal wave” advances eastward
The European office of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday called for an increased vaccination effort in Eastern Europe, warning that the “tidal wave” linked to the Omicron variant of the coronavirus was advancing towards the East.
In the past two weeks, cases of Covid-19 have more than doubled in six countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Russia and Ukraine) located in the east of what constitutes the European region for the organization, noted Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director.
“As expected, the Omicron wave is advancing eastward, ten member countries in the East have now detected this variant,” Hans Kluge said in a statement. The WHO European region comprises 53 countries, several of which are located in Central Asia.