Maria Van Kerkhove, Director of Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention of the World Health Organization (WHO), made important assessments regarding the Covid-19 outbreak at the weekly press conference of the United Nations (UN) Geneva Office.
Kerkhove emphasized that Covid-19 is still a widespread threat around the world, saying, “Data from our surveillance system in 84 countries shows that positive test rates for Covid-19 have been increasing over the past few weeks. Overall, test positivity is above “10 percent, but this rate varies significantly by region. In Europe in particular, the positivity rate has risen above 20 percent.”
Kerkhove also noted that the virus is circulating more around the world, adding, “This shows that the virus continues to evolve and change. This puts us at risk of a more virulent virus that could evade our detection or our medical interventions, such as vaccination .”
Stating that there has been an increase in Covid-19 cases in many countries, regardless of seasonal changes, Kerkhove stated that at least 40 athletes competing in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games tested positive for Covid-19.
Kerkhove emphasized that these fluctuations have led to increases in hospitalizations and deaths in many countries, and stated that countries must continue their fight against Covid-19 and make the necessary investments to cope with the long-term effects of this epidemic.
Warning of Decline in Vaccination
“We recommend that countries continue basic COVID-19 surveillance using multiple approaches, particularly to characterize circulating viruses and achieve key strategic goals for early detection and clinical care of patients,” Kerkhove said. He also called on countries to increase reporting on COVID-19-related hospitalizations, intensive care admissions, and deaths.
Kerkhove noted that by 2024, 35 countries will have reported data on COVID-19 hospitalizations, 24 countries will have reported data on intensive care admissions and 70 countries will have reported data on deaths.
Emphasizing that individuals in the risk group in particular should receive a booster dose, Kerkhove said, “In the last two years, an alarming decline in vaccination has been observed, especially among healthcare workers and people over the age of 60. This situation urgently needs to be reversed.”
