COVID epidemic is far from ending: WHO

Globe Health Organization (WHO) director Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cautioned the world on Tuesday that new COVID-19 cases suggest the pandemic is “far from ending.”

In a news conference on COVID-19, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan remarked, “I am worried that cases of COVID-19 continue to grow, placing further strain on already overburdened health systems and health workers, and mortality remain unacceptably high.” He recommended nations to examine and update their COVID19 response strategies on a regular basis depending on current epidemiology and the possibility of new variations emerging.

The COVID-19 Emergency Committee convened last week and agreed that the virus is still a public health emergency of worldwide significance.

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“I am worried that COVID-19 cases continue to grow, putting further strain on already overburdened health systems and health workers, and that mortality remain unacceptably high,” added Dr Tedros.

He went on to discuss the Emergency Committee on COVID-19’s worries regarding multiple interconnected difficulties.

“Sub-variants of Omicron, such as BA.4 and BA.5, continue to generate waves of cases, hospitalisation, and mortality throughout the world,” stated WHO Director-General Margaret Chan.

The committee also emphasised the issue of decreased monitoring, including testing and sequencing, making it increasingly difficult to determine the impact of variations on transmission, clinical features, and counter-measure effectiveness.

It also identified diagnostics, therapies, and immunizations that were underutilised.

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