Omicron variant 'almost certainly' not more severe than Delta: Fauci

Top US scientist Anthony Fauci said Tuesday that while it would take weeks to judge the severity of the new Covid-19 variant Omicron, early indications suggested it was not worse than prior strains, and possibly milder.

"It almost certainly is not more severe than Delta," Fauci told AFP in an interview.

"There is some suggestion that it might even be less severe," he added.

"I think that's going to take another couple of weeks at least in South Africa and then as we get more infections throughout the rest of the world, it might take longer to see what's the level of severity."