There is now consistent evidence that Omicron is spreading significantly faster than the Delta variant, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

The Omicron variant of the coronavirus is spreading faster than the Delta variant and is causing infections in people already vaccinated or who have recovered from the COVID-19 disease, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.

"There is now consistent evidence that Omicron is spreading significantly faster than the Delta variant," WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news briefing for Geneva-based journalists, held at its new headquarters building."And it is more likely people vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 could be infected or re-infected," Mr Tedros said.