World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized United Nations agency responsible for international public health. It posted an advisory urging governments to take steps to curb COVID-19 transmission. WHO warns of rising deaths and infections, as a fresh wave moves across Europe and the United States.
Why Does WHO Warn of Rising Deaths and Infections?
Omicron sub-variants are lifting case numbers, Time Magazine quotes director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus saying. These are leading to further fatalities he explains, and we should revive protocols like mask-wearing to stop the spread.
“New waves of the virus demonstrate that COVID-19 is nowhere near over,” Ghebreyesus says. “I am concerned about a rising trend of deaths.” This stark warning comes at a time variants BA.4 and BA.5 have Europe in their grip. While the population continues to attend large gatherings, and start traveling again.
An alarming 1:25 people – 2.1 million – in England tested positive at end June 2022. Moreover, this number is not showing signs of subsiding. Vaccinated and previously-infected people are not immune, although their vaccinations do help protect against serious illness.
This Against a Background of Decreasing Surveillance
World Health Organization is persistently warning the pandemic is still a public health emergency of international concern. However – and here’s the positive – it believes there is no evidence so far that BA.5 is any more severe than previous Omicron variants.
Our vaccines and treatments are still effective. None the less, Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s technical lead officer for COVID-19 does warn “the virus is spreading at a very intense level at a global rate”. While “surveillance, including testing and sequencing to detect and identify strains is declining”.
On Tuesday, WHO’s regional director for Europe recommended all vulnerable adults and their close contacts have second vaccine booster doses. This is a matter of personal choice, of course. But it comes from very competent people, and therefore deserves our full consideration.
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