Omicron cases will rise drastically: Dr Yong

THURSDAY, JANUARY 06, 2022
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The number of Covid-19 Omicron cases will increase drastically because the virus can spread easily, especially during New Year celebrations, expert virologist Dr Yong Poovorawan wrote on his Facebook page on Thursday.

Yong urged everyone to cooperate to reduce the number of cases, which could affect the capacity of the public health system.

However, the number of severe patients and deaths will be lower compared to the Delta variant, the doctor pointed out.

“We must administer booster doses as fast as possible, especially to vulnerable groups,” he wrote.

Patients with mild symptoms must be isolated at home or go into community isolation to reduce the workload on medical personnel, he advised.

Yong cited information from Johns Hopkins University that the death rate would gradually decrease in each successive wave.

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Yong said the death rate of Delta patients in Thailand was only one per cent – less than the average rate worldwide. He hoped the Omicron death rate would be even lower.

He added that Omicron would become a seasonal respiratory illness if the death rate is less than 0.1 per cent.