Epidemiological update: Omicron variant of concern (VOC) – data as of 9 December 2021 (12:00)

Confirmed SARS-CoV-2 Omicron VOC cases have been reported by 21 EU/EEA countries: Austria (17), Belgium (30), Croatia (3), Czechia (2), Denmark (99), Estonia (12), Finland (9), France (37), Germany (15), Greece (3), Iceland (20), Ireland (1), Italy (13), Latvia (5), Liechtenstein (1), the Netherlands (36), Norway (33), Portugal (37), Romania (2), Spain (14) and Sweden (13), according to information from public sources. A number of probable cases have also been reported in several countries. No new EU/EEA countries have reported the Omicron VOC since yesterday.

Although cases reported initially were linked to travel, an increasing number of cases are now reported to have been acquired within the EU/EEA, including as parts of clusters and outbreaks, with cases also being detected in representative surveillance systems.

EU/EEA countries reporting cases without an epidemiological link to travel outside the EU/EEA include Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Spain and Iceland. This indicates that undetected community transmission could be ongoing in the EU/EEA.

All cases for which there is available information on severity were either asymptomatic or mild. So far, there have been no Omicron-related deaths reported. This data should be assessed with caution, as the number of confirmed cases is too low to understand if the disease clinical spectrum of Omicron differs from that of previously detected VOCs.

Countries and territories outside of the EU/EEA have reported 1 378 confirmed cases. The 36 countries reporting confirmed cases are: Argentina, Australia, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Cuba, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Fiji, Ghana, India, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Maldives, Mexico, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Overall, 1 780 confirmed cases have been reported globally by 57 countries.

Table 1. Confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron VOC reported by public sources, as of 9 December 2021 (12:00)

*Denmark reported 99 cases, as confirmed through whole genome sequencing, and an additional 470 as confirmed through a variant-specific PCR test.

Case definitions

Probable case of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron VOC infection

A person with a positive nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) or rapid antigen detection test (RADT) for SARS-CoV-2 AND one of the following: S-gene target failure or another PCR-based single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) assay indicative of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron VOC or is a contact of a probable or confirmed case of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron VOC infection.

Confirmed case of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron VOC infection

A person with confirmed sequencing result for the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron VOC.