The World Health Organization (WHO) is still not lifting the highest alert level due to the corona pandemic, but the pandemic has probably “reached a transition”.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced Monday in Geneva that he would maintain the international health emergency. That was also the conclusion of a WHO expert panel that met at the end of last week.
Although the global corona situation has improved, about 170,000 deaths from Covid-19 from around the world have been reported to WHO in the past eight weeks, according to Tedros. Health authorities are watching the spread of the virus less closely, while medical facilities remain overstretched in many places, Tedros said.
Concerns about risk groups
The advisory board was also concerned that not enough people in high-risk groups around the world and in poorer countries are still vaccinated against Covid-19. “There is little doubt that this virus will remain a permanent pathogen for humans and animals for the foreseeable future,” the experts said.
The advisers urged states to establish long-term action plans to prevent, monitor and control infection, and to remain vigilant even after the public health emergency is lifted.
When the WHO declared the corona emergency on January 30, 2020, there were about 100 known infections in about 20 countries outside China and no deaths. According to the WHO, some 665 million infections and more than 6.7 million deaths have now been reported worldwide. The number of unreported cases is likely to be much higher.
No new variants so far
According to official information, no new virus variants have been discovered in the current corona wave in China. Researcher Chen Cao of the National Health Agency’s Virus Institute said in Beijing Monday that variants BA.5.2 and BF.7 are the dominant viruses in the outbreak in the world’s most populous country. During the Chinese New Year holiday, which has been celebrated since January 22, the genes of 1,421 selected samples from different provinces were sequenced without a new variant being discovered.
Situation difficult in China after zero Covid policy
According to official information, the massive corona wave that has been rolling through the country since the beginning of December with more than 1.4 billion inhabitants, despite the many trips to the New Year’s party, has already passed its peak. The number of deaths and hospital stays fell sharply last week, the health service reports. However, there is no clear picture of the situation. Foreign researchers had predicted considerably higher numbers based on model calculations.
As the virus affects a large population in China that has had no immunity to previous diseases and some are poorly vaccinated, there are fears in other countries that new variants could emerge. For this reason, many countries have also introduced tests for travelers from China. The government in Beijing is annoyed by this, although it itself requires negative tests upon entry into China. After nearly three years of a Covid-zero policy, China abruptly lifted strict measures such as lockdowns, enforced quarantines and mass testing in early December.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
