If you thought COVID-19 was no longer a concern or that its impact had diminished, think again. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that the percentage of positive tests has been increasing in 84 countries in recent weeks.
The United Nations health agency has also warned that more serious forms of the corona virus may also emerge soon.
“COVID-19 is still among us,” Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove of the World Health Organization told reporters in Geneva, “and is spreading in all countries.”
“Data from our sentinel-based surveillance systems in 84 countries show that the percentage of positive tests for SARS-CoV-2 has been increasing over the past several weeks,” he said. “Overall, test positivity is above 10 percent, but it can vary by region. In Europe, the percentage positivity is above 20 percent,” Dr. Van Kerkhove said.
according to fortune magazine, The virus has spread far and wide this summer; President Joe Biden tested positive in July and, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), at least 40 athletes at the Paris Olympics have been infected with Covid or other respiratory illnesses.
According to a report WHO releaseNew waves of infections have been reported in the Americas, Europe and the Western Pacific. Wastewater surveillance suggests SARS-CoV-2 prevalence is two to 20 times higher than currently reported. Such a high prevalence of infections in the northern hemisphere’s summer months is unusual for a respiratory virus, which spreads mostly in cooler temperatures.
“In recent months, regardless of the season, many countries have seen a surge in COVID-19 cases, including at the Olympics, where at least 40 athletes have tested positive,” Dr. Van Kerkhove said.
“As an individual, it is important to take measures to reduce the risk of infection and severe disease, including ensuring you have had a dose of the COVID-19 vaccination within the last 12 months, especially if you are in an at-risk group,” Dr Van Kerkhove emphasised.
WHO has acknowledged that the availability of vaccines has slowed down significantly in the last 12-18 months, as the number of producers of COVID-19 vaccines has recently decreased. “It is very difficult for them to keep up this pace,” explained Dr. Van Kerkhove. “And of course, they don’t need to keep up the pace they had in 2021 and 2022. But it is clear that there is a market for COVID-19 vaccines.”
