Onset of northern winter could see spike in COVID-19 hospitalizations, deaths — Global Issues
Speaking on Wednesday, WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus beat the drum to vaccinate to reduce the spread of the disease.
He urges people to get an injection or, if they are already vaccinated, to get a booster shot.
Variations are still a threat
“We are now seeing a welcome drop in the number of reported deaths globally. However, with colder weather approaching in the northern hemisphere, It is reasonable to expect an increase in hospitalizations and deaths in the coming months” speak Tedros, speaking during his regular briefing from Geneva.
“Omicron sub-variants are more contagious than their predecessors, and the risk of having more contagious and more dangerous variants remains. ”
Vaccination coverage for those most at risk – such as healthcare workers and the elderly – is also still too low, he added, especially in poorer countries.
Don’t pretend it’s over
Tedros reminds people everywhere to continue taking action to reduce the risk of infection – even when vaccinated. Steps include avoiding crowds, especially indoors, and wearing a mask.
“Live with COVID-19 It doesn’t mean pretending the pandemic is over. If you’re walking in the rain without an umbrella, pretending it’s not raining won’t do you any good. You will still get wet. Similarly, Pretending a deadly virus isn’t circulating is a big riskk,” he said.
Worldwide, nearly 600 million cases of COVID-19 have been recorded, about 2.5 years after the pandemic.
Europe reaches 250 million VND
Dr Hans Kluge, Director of the WHO Regional Office, said Europe could reach 250 million cases in the next few weeks. Like Tedros, he also predicts winter will “spill” in cases.
“We have made great strides in tackling the pandemic. But the virus is still circulating widely, still sending people to the hospital, still cause too many preventable deaths – about 3,000 in the past week alone, Dr. Kluge in statement on Tuesday.
The latest monkeypox
Europe is also the homeland of the surrounding one third of the total global money to continue Monkey smallpox outbreak, with 22,000 confirmed cases across 43 countries.
America occupies more than a half among all reported cases, with some countries continuing to see an increase in infections.
The WHO notes that several European countries, including Germany and the Netherlands, are also seeing a clear drop in infections.
The agency says this development demonstrates the effectiveness of public health interventions and community engagement to track infections and prevent transmission.