U.S. NIH research hospital delays elective surgeries amid rise in Omicron infection

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- The surge in Omicron cases is forcing the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) to postpone elective surgeries as a growing number of staff must isolate or quarantine, according to a memo reviewed by Reuters.

The move came as at least 80 clinical center staff called in sick on Wednesday alone because of COVID-19 infections or exposures, said the report released on Thursday.

Staff of the largest hospital in the United States devoted to clinical research were informed on Wednesday that elective surgeries would be delayed from next week, said the article.

A total of 250 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported between Dec. 20-27 out of an estimated 40,000 staff across all of NIH, it added.