Some key questions about the latest Omicron variant of concern remain unanswered but the risk it poses remains “very high,” said the World Health Organization (WHO) in a technical briefing issued on Dec. 10. The WHO says the SARS-Cov-2 virus variant is “highly divergent with a high number of mutations,” some of which are “concerning and may be associated with immune escape potential and higher transmissibility. However, there are still considerable uncertainties.” The international body says that based on limited evidence, Omicron appears to have a growth advantage over the prevalent Delta variant, citing the example of the United Kingdom (UK). “Whether Omicron’s observed rapid growth rate in countries with high levels of population immunity is related to immune evasion, intrinsic increased transmissibility, or a combination of both remains uncertain.” Data on the severity of the variant remains limited says the WHO, while noting that cases reported in South Africa …