Geneva, Switzerland – After several weeks of declines in new reported cases of Covid-19, numbers are rising again around the world, particularly in parts of Asia and Western Europe, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
“These increases are occurring despite declining testing in some countries, which means the cases we are seeing are just the tip of the iceberg,” the WHO director-general said on Wednesday. Tedros Adhanom GhebreyesusPhD, at a press conference[1].
As a result, local outbreaks and increases in Covid-19 cases are likely, “particularly in areas where transmission prevention measures have been lifted”, he said.
And death rates remain high in many countries, especially those with low immunization levels.
“Each country faces a different situation with different challenges, but the pandemic is not over,” Tedros said.
Every country faces a different situation with different challenges, but the pandemic is not over.
–
“I repeat, the pandemic is not over,” he insisted.
His statement comes as a 46 per cent rise in Covid-19 cases has been reported in the UK and a spike in cases surge in China. Worldwide, weekly Covid-19 cases have increased by 8%, the WHO has announced, despite a significant reduction in Covid-19 testing.
Given these reports, “we have to be very careful. We need to watch this very closely and we need to focus on providing appropriate vaccination to the most vulnerable,” said the Dr Michael RyanExecutive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme.
Possible pandemic pockets
“This virus still travels quite easily. In the context of waning immunity and the fact that vaccines do not work perfectly, it is likely that this virus echo around the world,” said Michael Ryan.
The coronavirus can linger for a long time, even in small communities, waiting for the next opportunity to spread.
“It will survive in those pockets for months and months until another pocket of susceptibility opens up,” said Michael Ryan.
Covid-19 in Ukraine
Even as the conflict in Ukraine enters its fourth week, the surveillance and reporting system for Covid-19 cases remains largely intact, said the Dr Adelheid MarschangSenior Emergency Manager for the WHO Health Emergencies Programme.
“We see at the same time that the tests have decreased,” she said.
“Yet we have registered now, I think, something like more than 30,000 new cases. »
Recognizing Pandemic Fatigue
The factors driving the global increase in case detection “are the same as those that have driven the transmission of this virus since the start of the pandemic”, said Maria Van KerkhovePhD.
“We fully understand that the world needs to turn the page on Covid-19. But this virus spreads very efficiently between people,” said Van Kerkhove, technical lead for the Covid-19 response at WHO and an expert on the health emergencies programme.
“If we don’t intervene adequately, the virus will seize the opportunity to continue to spread. And the more the virus spreads, the more opportunities it has to mutate.
The article was originally published on Medscape.com under the title WHO Predicts COVID Could Still ‘Echo Around the World’. Translated/adapted by Stéphanie Lavaud
Follow Medscape in French on Twitter.
Follow theheart.org | Medscape Cardiology on Twitter.
–
