「市中感染想定し対応を」　オミクロン株感染力「推計４倍」―厚労省助言組織

　新型コロナウイルス対策を助言する厚生労働省の専門家組織「アドバイザリーボード」の会合が１６日開かれ、座長の脇田隆字国立感染症研究所長が変異株「オミクロン株」について、「市中感染を含め国内での拡大を想定して備えていく必要がある」と述べ、医療提供体制の整備などを訴えた。
　京都大の西浦博教授らは会合で、海外でのオミクロン株の感染力を示す推計を報告。デンマークのデータによると、感染者１人が平均してうつす人数「実効再生産数」がデルタ株の３．９７倍に上ったという。（2021/12/16-23:55）

Japan should be prepared for community transmission of the omicron variant of the novel coronavirus, a health ministry advisory panel of experts said Thursday.
   "It is necessary to make preparations for the expected spread (of the variant) in the country, including through community transmission," panel chair Takaji Wakita, director-general of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, told a panel meeting.
   Experts including Kyoto University professor Hiroshi Nishimura reported the estimated infectiousness of the omicron variant. They cited data from Denmark indicating that the effective reproduction number, or the number of people infected by a single carrier, for the omicron variant is 3.97 times that of the delta strain.
   "Data show that omicron variant infections spread at a high speed," Wakita said. "It is necessary to discuss how much strain could be caused to the medical system."
   Regarding the country's overall coronavirus situation, the panel said that the number of new cases "is lowest since summer last year while it is on an upward trend recently."