Covid-19 Numbers Explained: Omicron cases in US less than 1,500 but infections could be over six lakh

In its new assessment of the spread of the Omicron variant, the CDC has said that up to 73 per cent of all cases detected between December 12 and 18 could be because of this variant. The percentage could be even higher, over 90 per cent, in New York and some other regions, according to a report by The Associated Press.

So far, the United Kingdom has reported the highest number of confirmed cases of Omicron variant – over 45,000. But that too is believed to be a small proportion of the actual number since the confirmations come only through genome sequences, which take time. Also, not all positive cases are detected — the asymptomatic ones can remain undetected — and not all detected cases are sent for genome sequencing.

The US has reported a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases this week compared to the last one. The Washington Post reported that cases had risen by more than 50 per cent over last week in nearly half of the states. Many places, including New York, have reported over 90 per cent rise in cases.

US President Joe Biden is set to address the nation on the Omicron crisis on Tuesday.

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