Omicron set to be Europe's dominant variant by early 2022 - ECDC

FILE PHOTO: People wearing face masks walk in Nantes amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in France, December 9, 2021. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - There is a "very high" risk the Omicron variant of COVID-19 will become dominant in Europe by early next year and lead to a growing number of hospital admissions and deaths, the European Union's public health body said on Wednesday.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said in a report that the Omicron variant of concern (VOC) was likely to overtake Delta within the first two months of 2022.