British Prime Minister (PM) Boris Johnson confirmed the first global death from the swiftly spreading strain of the Omicron variant on Monday, reports Reuters.
However, it is not clear if the deceased had been vaccinated or had underlying health issues.
“Sadly at least one patient has now been confirmed to have died with Omicron. I think the idea is that this is somehow a milder version of the virus. That’s something we need to set to one side and just recognise the sheer pace at which it accelerates through the population,” Johnson stated.
When asked about the lifting of tougher restrictions, PM avoided giving a direct answer. However, British Health Secretary Sajid Javid said he knew of no plans for additional measures.
The first Omicron cases were detected in Britain on November 27. Before this confirmation, 10 people (ranging from 18 to 85 years) were hospitalised with Omicron, most had received two vaccination doses as the virus can overcome the immunity of those who have had two shots of vaccines such as AstraZeneca or Pfizer-BioNTech.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) suggests that the Omicron may be less severe than the Delta variant as all cases reported in the European region have been mild.
In Pakistan, National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) confirmed the first case of the Omicron variant in Pakistan on Monday.
