WHO classifies new variant as ‘highly transmissible’ virus

By RAF CASERT
Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — An advisory panel of the World Health Organization classified a new COVID-19 variant first detected in South Africa as a highly transmissible virus of concern and named it “omicron” under its Greek-letter system. The announcement on Friday from the United Nations health agency marks the first time in months that the WHO has classified a COVID-19 variant as such. The delta variant, which has become the world’s most prevalent, is in the same category.