Covid-19 surge: What the WHO says, where are cases rising, and why
Key Takeaways:
- The World Health Organization has warned countries to remain vigilant in a renewed global rise in Covid-19 cases.
- From March 7 to 13, global new infections increased by 8% over the previous week, with 11 million fresh cases (and over 43,000 deaths) reported.
- The WHO is currently concerned about BA.2, an Omicron'stealth' subvariant that is thought to be even more transmissible than its parent variety.
In the face of a renewed global rise in Covid-19 cases, the World Health Organization has warned countries to remain vigilant. The current increase in Asian countries - China, Hong Kong, as well as South Korea, which reported over 600,000 on Wednesday - could be 'the tip of the iceberg,' according to the global health organization, especially since many nations had dropped testing rates.
The emergence of the latest variants - sub-lineages of Omicron - and the lifting of health measures, according to the WHO, are driving the spike in Asia and the United States, where cases appear to be doubling. Officials say the spikes could be due to a "massive amount of misinformation" about vaccines in some countries.
So, what do the figures say?
Globally, new infections increased by 8% from the previous week, with 11 million new cases (and over 43,000 deaths) reported from March 7 to 13.
Since January end, this is the first week-on-week increase.
What areas are seeing an increase in cases?
The western Pacific, including China and South Korea, saw the largest increase. According to the WHO, cases increased by 25%, and deaths increased by 27%.
The situation appears to be settling down.
Following a 50,000+ increase this month, Hong Kong is reporting a decline. Carrie Lam, the chief executive, is considering loosening the rules for citizens.
China reported just over 3,000 new cases in 24 hours on Wednesday, a day after saying there were more than 5,000 cases for the first time since the pandemic began.
On Thursday, South Korea reported 621,000 new cases and 429 deaths, figures that threaten to overwhelm the country's healthcare system.
A senior disease control expert informed reporters at a daily briefing that the stealth variant of Omicron has been linked to approximately 26% of recent cases in South Korea, up from 17% last month.
In Africa, there was a 12% increase in new cases and a 14% increase in deaths.
In Europe, there was a 2% increase in cases but no increase in deaths.
The World Health Organization has warned European countries not to underestimate the dangers posed by BA.2 (the stealth Omicron) and BA.1+ BA.2 bacteria (the mixed variant).
Cases of Covid have increased in several European countries, including Austria, Germany, Switzerland, as well as the United Kingdom. Still, only Germany appears to have raised the alarm, with its health minister stating that the outbreak is worsening.
Other parts of the world have seen declines, but the eastern Mediterranean region has seen a massive 38 % rise in deaths. This, on the other hand, is thought to be linked to a previous spike in Covid cases.
What exactly are the new variations?
The WHO is currently concerned about BA.2, the 'stealth' subvariant of Omicron, because it is thought to be even more transmissible than its parent variety.
However, there are no indications that it causes a more severe disease than Omicron.
The mixed variant BA.1+BA.2 was discovered for the first time in Israel. Experts have warned that it is still too soon to tell on how virulent it might (or might not) be. Two passengers have arrived at the country's Ben Gurion airport were found to have it.