Globally detected cases of covid-19 are up 80% in the past month, even though the death rate has decreased by 57%, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO) released this Friday.
These figures coincide with a noticeable increase in the circulation of a new sub-variant of the virus in countries such as the United States, United Kingdom and France, in the middle of summer in the Northern Hemisphere.
About 1.5 million cases were reported between July 10 and August 6, an 80% increase from the previous 28 days, the World Health Organization reported at 2,500.
The WHO warned that these numbers do not reflect the real situation as diagnostic tests and monitoring of the pandemic have also declined. In the East Pacific region, the number of infections has increased by 137% in the past month, the organization added.
Health authorities in the United States, United Kingdom, India, France and Japan also announced an increase in cases, albeit moderately.
In early May, the WHO declared the end of the pandemic. However, on Wednesday, the director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated that “the virus continues to circulate, cause deaths and change in all countries”.
The subvariant EG.5, called Eris by some scientists, is currently the most commonly detected and may be responsible for the increase in symptoms.
According to the WHO, more than 17% of Covid-19 cases reported in mid-July were attributed to EG.5, compared to 7.6% the previous month.
In addition to the crowds due to the holidays, the decrease in immunity can also be one of the causes, experts warn.
The EG.5 version is a sub-variant of the Omicron family and appears to be more transmissible than others in circulation, probably due to the effect of new genetic mutations.
“It has been identified in India, as well as other Asian countries, North America and Europe, where it replaces previously dominant variants.”, explained AFP Antoine Flahault, director of the Institute of Global Health at the University of Geneva.
“The uncertainty about the epidemiological situation in the world is high. There is an urgent need for health authorities to re-establish a reliable surveillance system around covid. The question is whether people with immunodeficiency and advanced age will be subject to testing, including in case of mild symptoms so they can benefit from early antiviral treatments, essential to reduce the risk of severe forms of the disease,” he added.
Vaccination remains essential and the WHO on Wednesday deemed it essential to “step up efforts to increase vaccination coverage”.
Although anti-covid vaccines lose their effectiveness over time in terms of infections, they continue to function as a means of protection.
To better adapt to virus mutations, pharmaceutical groups Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna and Novavax are preparing vaccines targeting this new variant, as recommended by the WHO in the spring.
Campaigns for vulnerable people are planned in several countries, including France, along with the dissemination of campaigns against the flu.
Source: DN
