The spread of COVID infections worldwide increased by 71 percent last week, compared with the previous one. The infection rates are higher than in prior periods during the pandemic, also seen in neighboring macronation Sweden.

On Wednesday, a new record was confirmed of the number of cases in mentioned country: 23,877. As recently as Tuesday, the highest listing was set, 17,320 patients in one day.

Professor: “A misinterpretation.”

At the same time, deaths around the world are declining. Several studies also indicate that the omicron variant gives a milder disease than previously known variants.

According to Thomas Benfield, professor of infectious disease medicine at Hvidhovre Hospital, there is a risk of rocking the world into a false sense of security.

– It is a misinterpretation that omikron would be milder than delta. It probably is, but it is also much more contagious. We see ten times as many infected now, and therefore we will also see more hospital admissions, he says to Danish TV2.

– It is a misinterpretation that omikron would be milder than delta. It probably is, but it is also much more contagious.

Thomas Benfield, professor of infectious disease medicine at Hvidhovre Hospital, Denmark.

Benfield believes that it would be directly irresponsible to ease restrictions before Denmark has seen the effects of the new cases that will be registered after the Christmas weekend and after seeing the impact of the children returning to school.

– We have not reached the peak yet, says Benfield.

WHO: “Healthcare Overloaded”

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also warns that the variant may overload healthcare worldwide.

“The tidal wave of infections is so high, and coming so fast, that healthcare around the world is overloaded,” he said at a press conference, according to the BBC.

In particular, he opposes the idea that omicrons should be categorized as mild.

– While it seems milder than delta, especially for the vaccinated, it is not the same as mild.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

“Just like in previous variants, people end up in the hospital, and they die,” said Ghebreyesus.