Covid new variants: “We will fail in the next phase of pandemic if…,” WHO on being prepared for new strains

With new COVID variants being detected, World Health Organisation (WHO) officials again asserted that it is extremely essential for all to get vaccinated against the virus and continue all the efforts to stop the virus from circulating. Recently, South African scientists have detected Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 and in past months, several recombinant viruses were also spotted and are currently, circulating in different parts of the world.

During a press conference, a WHO official asserted, In order to protect our future, we must deal with the present. If we fail now to vaccinate everyone, if we fail to continue diagnosing, if we fail to find the people who can benefit from the treatment, then we will fail in the future.

“If we fail now, at the last lap, fail to get everyone vaccinated, fail to continue diagnosis, fail to find people who might benefit from treatment, then we will completely fail in the next pandemic.”

More deadly variants may emerge if…

Earlier this week, WHO also pointed out that with the virus still circulating, the risk of more deadly variants emerging still remains.

WHO warned that with winter approaching for Southern Hemisphere countries, “there is a high risk of another wave of new COVID infections.” The coronavirus spreads more easily in cooler temperatures when people are more likely to gather in larger numbers indoors.

“With the virus still circulating, the risk of new and potentially more deadly variants emerging remains, and the pandemic control measures are pivotal to effective response to a surge in infections,” said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO's Africa director.

Covid numbers dipped across the world but…

Detailing the current COVID-19 scenario globally, World Health Organization (WHO) notified Covid cases and deaths in Africa have dropped to their lowest levels since the pandemic began. WHO on Thursday in its report said, COVID-19 infections due to the omicron surge had “tanked” from a peak of more than 308,000 weekly cases to fewer than 20,000 last week. Cases and deaths fell by 29% and 37% respectively in the last week; deaths decreased to 239 from the previous week.

“This low level of infection has not been seen since April 2020 in the early stages of the pandemic in Africa,” WHO said, noting that no country in the region is currently seeing an increase of COVID-19 cases.

Meanwhile, scientists in the U.S. warn the country may be about to see a wave of cases fueled by the omicron subvariant BA.2, which has already peaked across Europe. The country expects to soon mark the deaths of at least 1 million Americans killed by COVID.