WHO: Omicron detected in 89 countries, cases doubling fast

VIENNA (AP) — The World Health Organization says the number of COVID-19 cases involving omicron is doubling every 1.5 to three days in countries where there is community transmission of the variant and not just people who were infected abroad. WHO said on Saturday that omicron’s “substantial growth advantage” over the delta variant means it’s likely to soon overtake delta as the dominant variant. The U.N. health agency says it’s still unclear if the rapid growth of omicron cases is because the variant evades existing immunity, is inherently more transmissible than previous variants, or a combination of both.