WHO Warns of Increasing Cases of COVID-19 Worldwide
Scientist, Photo: @cadenapolitica
August 6, 2024 Hour: 4:37 pm
Maria Van Kerkhove recalled the importance of people in high-risk groups receiving a vaccine against COVID-19 within 12 months of the last dose.
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Tuesday of the increase in circulation of Covid-19 in all countries and assured that an alarming decrease in vaccination coverage is observed.
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WHO Director for Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, Maria Van Kerkhove, said «Such high circulation is not usual in respiratory viruses, which tend to increase their circulation in the colder months».
During a WHO press conference, Van Kerkhove said «The virus is circulating in all countries», referring to Covid-19.
He also said «Data from our sentinel-based surveillance system in 84 countries reports that the percentage of positive tests for SARS-CoV-2 has been increasing for several weeks».
The official pointed out that the positive test results vary by region, for example in Europe the percentage of positive tests is above 20%.
Van Kerkhove claimed that analysis of waste water shows that the virus is circulating at present 2 to 20 times more than reported.
«This is significant because the virus continues to evolve and change, putting us all at risk of a potentially more severe virus that could evade our detection and/or medical interventions, including vaccination», he said.
When infected people go to the toilet they expel through the feces fragments of SARS-CoV-2 and the genetic material of the micro-organism travels through the sewage, hence the validity of these results.
The board said that «Such high circulation is not typical of respiratory viruses which tend to increase their circulation in colder months».
Autor: OSG
Fuente: WHO-DW
