WHO warns for reality check as countries do not strictly follow the restrictions, a huge increase in Covid-19 cases has been recorded, says an article published in CNN.
Technical lead of WHO expresses concern
Maria van Kerkhove, the WHO’s technical lead for coronavirus response said, “4.4 million Covid-19 infections had been recorded across the world last week globally and expressed concern about global trends. This is not the situation we want to be in 16 months into a pandemic, where we have proven control measures. It is time right now where everyone has to have a reality check about what we need to be doing.”
WHO Director General on public health and vaccine distribution
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “Several countries in Asia and the Middle East have seen large increases in cases, confusion, complacency and inconsistency in public health measures.”
Speaking on the distribution of vaccines across the world, Dr. Ghebreyesus says, ”India hits 100 million vaccinations as Covid-19 cases surge to record numbers. Those spikes are occurring despite more than 780 million vaccine doses being administered globally, while vaccines were a vital and powerful tool, they were not the only ones available mask wearing, physical distancing, ventilation, hand hygiene, surveillance, testing, tracing and isolation, work to stop infections and save lives.”
All-time high infections recorded in different countries
India
India having a population of 1.4 billion, recorded the all-time high tallies of infection.
According to a CNN tally of figures from the Indian health ministry, India reported 161,736 new coronavirus cases, a slight dip following six consecutive days of record single-day rises.
India’s total caseload stands at more than 13.5 million — second only to the United States and Brazil — including nearly 170,000 fatalities.
Iran
Iran, which has the highest number of cases and deaths in the Middle East, entered its fourth wave of the pandemic last week, the country’s health ministry said last week.
The country’s total number of Covid-19 related cases have surpassed 2 million since the beginning of the pandemic, with over 4,200 patients currently hospitalized in ICU, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Health said Thursday.
More than 4,200 patients are currently hospitalized in Iranian ICUs and on Saturday the government imposed a 10-day lockdown across most of the country.
Brazil
In Brazil, coronavirus cases are spiralling out of control; 4,195 people were recorded dead in just 24 hours last Tuesday, the country’s deadliest day of the pandemic yet. While the state of Sao Paulo and the city of Rio de Janeiro rank among the worst in the country for Covid-19 deaths.
Vice-governor Rodrigo Garcia says, “the reopening of schools, sports events and construction stores by pointing out that occupancy rates in intensive care units in the state have fallen from 90.5% to 88.6%. This measure clearly shows that the effort made in recent weeks is beginning to give results.”
Europe
Europe experienced its third wave with a more contagious variant of the virus appearing to be the common culprit behind the chaos.
Last month, critics warned that Europe’s coronavirus restrictions have come too late and that the continent’s current problems can be traced back to politicians too eager to start easing.
According to the Director of the German intensive care said, “In Germany, cases are on the rise, with healthcare workers breaking down and the country’s ICU bed occupancy reaching its peak even with a hard lockdown.”
England
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, “England lifted restrictions after more than three months of lockdown, in a step forward for the country’s roadmap to freedom.”
The lifting of measures coincided with the UK reaching its Covid-19 vaccination target of offering a dose to all adults over 50, the clinically vulnerable and social care workers.
Nearly 40 million vaccines have now been given in total in the UK, with adults under 50 expected to begin to be invited in the coming days.
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Source: CNN
