WHO reports 95% decrease in Covid-related deaths this year, but warns virus still on the move

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported a promising decline of 95 percent in Covid-19 related deaths this year. However, the virus is still spreading and here to stay. Countries need to learn how to manage it effectively alongside other infectious diseases. WHO Chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warns that the emergence of new variants such as XBB.1.16 could cause new waves of disease and death. He also highlights that long Covid affects one in ten infections and urges all countries to address immunization barriers. Technical Lead on Covid-19, Maria Van Kerkhove, emphasizes the importance of increased surveillance and testing for XBB sub-lineages, as this knowledge can inform vaccine composition and future decisions on handling the virus.