- The organization recommended the implementation of vaccines 12 months following the last dose
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that people around the world continue to die from Covid-19. The organization estimates the rate at approximately 1,700 deaths per week.
WHO Director Tedros Adhanom said they have detected a decrease in vaccine coverage among health workers and people over 60 years of age, considered among the highest risk groups.
“WHO recommends that people in the highest risk groups receive the COVID-19 vaccine within 12 months of their last dose,” Adhanom said during a press conference on July 11.
Covid-19 deaths
On May 24, 2024, the WHO reported that Covid-19 had become one of the leading causes of death worldwide. In 2020, it was the third leading cause of death, while in 2021 it was the second.
In January 2024, the international organization stated that more than seven million people died from the virus, however, the real number of victims of the pandemic might be higher.
The pandemic is not over
On January 12, WHO technical chief Maria van Kerkhove warned that The Covid-19 pandemic is not over and warned that the virus continues to evolve. He clarified that the situation is much less serious than in 2021 or 2022, however, the pathogen continues to circulate in several countries.
“The number of deaths has dropped dramatically since the peak reached a couple of years ago, but we still have around 10,000 deaths per month, and that is only with data from regarding 50 countries,” van Kerkhove said at the time.
The spokesperson mentioned that analyses in different parts of the planet indicate that the actual circulation of Covid-19 may be up to 19 times greater than what is being reported.
Increase in infections
On January 10, the WHO warned that December 2023 will see a 42% increase in global hospitalizations for COVID-19 and a 68% increase in intensive care unit (ICU) admissions.
“Driven by holiday gatherings and the JN.1 variant, which is now the most commonly reported, Covid has caused nearly 10,000 deaths in December,” Tedros Adhanom said during his first press conference of 2024.
The WHO director said it was important to maintain surveillance of the virus. He urged governments to continue facilitating access to tests, treatments and vaccines, and urged citizens to get vaccinated if they belong to risk groups, as well as to wear face masks and ensure that indoor spaces are ventilated.
Detection of new variants
Since Covid-19 was first detected in the city of Wuhan, China, in 2019, experts have found new variants that, in some cases, have made the symptoms caused by the virus more complicated.
The FliRT and LB.1 variants emerged from the Omicron strain, which, according to specialists, have a higher rate of contagion worldwide.
According to the Spanish magazine ConHealthIn Spain, cases of Covid-19 have increased over the last 10 weeks, an increase that is linked to the holidays.
For their part, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned that coronavirus infections are rising in 44 states.
CDC data revealed that as of June 22, one-third of COVID-19 infections in the country were due to the FLiRT and LB.1 variants. The latter is on the rise and accounted for 17.5% of reported cases.
What is happening with covid-19 in Venezuela?
Although no new variants of Covid-19 have been officially confirmed in Venezuela, health specialists have recommended resuming biosecurity measures.
On July 12, the president of the Venezuelan Society of Infectology, Patricia Valenzuela, recommended maintaining self-care measures due to the increase in respiratory diseases in the country.
In an interview for Union RadioThe infectious disease specialist recalled that Covid-19 continues to circulate throughout the world and even in Venezuela.
In January 2024, infectious disease specialist Julio Castro recommended that the Venezuelan population resume wearing face masks in closed or crowded places, due to the spread of a new strain of Covid-19, called J1 Pirola.
This variant was detected in countries in Europe, Latin America, as well as in the United States, so the expert did not rule out its arrival in Venezuela.
“It can be predicted that in the coming weeks or months we may have a resurgence of Covid-19 due to this J1 Pirola variant,” Castro said in a video released by Médicos Unidos Venezuela through its social media on January 9.
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2024-07-13 21:59:38
