“Covid-19 is still very much with us and circulating in all countries,” said WHO’s Dr Maria Van Kerkhove.
New Delhi: According to a report shared by the World Health Organization (WHO), the percentage of positive tests of COVID-19 has been increasing across 84 countries over several weeks.
The WHO has issued a warning that more severe coronavirus variants may emerge and is urging individuals, particularly those in high-risk groups, to ensure they are vaccinated against the virus.
“Covid-19 is still very much with us and circulating in all countries. In recent months, many countries have experienced surges of COVID-19, including at the Olympics where at least 40 athletes have tested positive,” said WHO’s Dr Maria Van Kerkhove while talking to journalists in Geneva.
“Data from our sentinel-based surveillance system across 84 countries reports that the percent of positive tests for SARS-CoV-2 has been rising over several weeks,” she said.
“Overall, test positivity is above 10 per cent, but this fluctuates per region. In Europe, percent positivity is above 20 per cent,” added Dr Van Kerkhove.
The WHO reports that a minimum of 40 athletes at the Paris Olympics have contracted Covid or other respiratory diseases, while Fortune Magazine indicates that the virus has experienced a widespread outbreak this summer.
US President Joe Biden tested COVID positive in July.
New waves of infection have been registered in the Americas, Europe, and Western Pacific. Wastewater surveillance suggests that the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 is two to 20 times higher than what is currently being reported. Such high infection circulation rates in the northern hemisphere’s summer months are atypical for respiratory viruses, which tend to spread mostly in cold temperatures, says the WHO release.
“In recent months, regardless of the season, many countries have experienced surges of Covid-19, including at the Olympics where at least 40 athletes have tested positive,” said Dr Van Kerkhove.
“As individuals it is important to take measures to reduce risk of infection and severe disease, including ensuring that you have had a Covid-19 vaccination dose in the last 12 months, especially, if you are in an at-risk group,” stressed Dr Van Kerkhove.
In mid-July, the WHO issued a warning that “Covid is still not over” adding that the deadly infection is still widespread, killing 1700 people every week across the globe asking people to take basic precautions including a vaccine, mask, and testing.