The WHO says about 9.5 million new COVID-19 infections were reported globally last week, increasing by 71 percent from the previous week. The Omicron variant is rapidly spreading in many countries. Early studies show it appears to cause less severe disease compared to Delta. But WHO officials said, even with a reduced risk of hospitalization, Omicron cannot be categorized as "mild." WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged global leaders to end vaccine inequality to ensure the world is protected from the pandemic.