WHO warns of Covid 'tsunami' as Omicron fuels record surges

Omicron variant

World Health Organisation says a Covid "tsunami" threatens to overwhelm healthcare systems, as record surges fuelled by the Omicron variant dampened New Year celebrations around the world once again. PHOTO | FILE 

A Covid "tsunami" threatens to overwhelm healthcare systems, the WHO said Wednesday, as record surges fuelled by the Omicron variant dampened New Year celebrations around the world once again.

Governments are walking a tightrope between anti-virus restrictions and the need to keep societies and economies open, as the highly transmissible variant drove cases to levels never seen before in the United States, Britain, France and Denmark.