Countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region have continued to report a continuous increase in the number of confirmed cases and deaths from COVID-19 over the past six weeks.
The daily average reached 18,000 confirmed cases and 31 deaths. The easing or elimination of proven public health measures, such as mask-wearing and social distancing, was associated with increased transmission of the omicron and sub-mutations in 17 countries across the Region, contributing to an increase in cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.
Dr. Ahmed Al-Mandhari, Director of the World Health Organization for the Eastern Mediterranean, said: “This current trend indicates that the Corona pandemic is not over yet. We are trying to forget Corona, but the virus has not forgotten us. In fact, it is taking advantage of our inaction to spread and mutate. Therefore, I call on all countries to maintain compliance with effective public health and social measures, and also to increase vaccination coverage.”
He said, vaccination booster doses should be obtained when they are given, because they would help protect lives, especially among the most vulnerable groups, especially the elderly, people with comorbidities, and health workers. Although countries with high vaccination coverage rates are still increasing, the severity of the disease is generally milder, which leads to lower hospitalizations and deaths.
In addition, full vaccine coverage in the Region still falls short of the global target of 70% of the total population by mid-2022. As of 18 July 2022, 45% of the Region’s population received full doses of vaccine, as the perception of low risk leads to From the decline in cases during the previous two months, to the reluctance to take the vaccine. The lack of easy access to vaccines also contributes to limited progress in vaccine coverage.
Dr. Ahmed Al-Mandhari stressed, “When there is a sudden and large increase in cases and deaths caused by Corona disease, we are very concerned, because our health systems are under more pressure. Vaccines have given us the ability to control the virus now. Let’s use them to protect the most vulnerable groups in our societies, And we are relieving the pressure on health workers and intensive care units.”
On July 8, 2022, the Coronavirus Emergency Committee met and concluded that the virus remains a public health emergency of international concern. Also of concern are the rapid transmission of sub-Omicron mutations, low levels of testing and genetic sequencing of the virus, and continuing inequities with regard to vaccination opportunities.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the region has reported more than 22195,674 confirmed cases of coronavirus and regarding 343,879 deaths. WHO is working with countries to maintain capacities for surveillance, testing and genetic sequencing, to accelerate vaccination once morest COVID-19 to reach vaccine coverage targets, and to strengthen the resilience of health systems.
