WHO: Omicron could spread faster but it’s still not certain

GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization says early evidence suggests the omicron variant of the coronavirus may be spreading faster than the highly transmissible delta variant and brings with it less severe disease — although it’s too early to make firm conclusions. The comments come among swirling concerns about the new variant that first emerged in southern Africa last month. Some countries have shut their borders and the existence of omicron has rattled stock markets fearful of the long-term impact of a possible new variant. So far, coronavirus has infected at least 267 million people and killed more than 5.2 million.