(Geneva) The World Health Organization on Thursday revealed that a record 9.5 million cases of COVID-19 were identified worldwide last week, a weekly increase of 71% – equivalent to to a “tsunami”, as the new Omicron variant sweeps the planet. On the other hand, the number of registered deaths was declining.
“Last week we recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic,” said WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. But the WHO is certain the number is higher, he added, due to a delay in screening during the year-end vacation.
In its weekly pandemic report, the UN health agency says the weekly tally stands at 9,520,488 new cases last week, but with 41,178 deaths recorded, compared to 44,680 two weeks ago .
Omicron affects the lungs less
WHO officials have long pointed to a time lag between case and death records – changes in the number of deaths often lag by around two weeks compared to changes in the number of cases. But the WHO also noted that for several reasons, the Omicron did not appear to be as deadly as the Delta variant that came before it, including due to increased vaccination rates in some locations and signs that the ‘Omicron affects the nose and throat more than the lungs. Any increase in hospitalizations or deaths following the latest increase in the number of cases is not expected to manifest for about two weeks, it is pointed out.
While the Omicron appears less serious than the Delta, especially in people who have been vaccinated, the WHO director warns that the guard should not be let down. “Like the previous variants, Omicron hospitalizes people and kills people,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recalled during his press briefing. In fact, the tsunami of cases is so huge and rapid that it is overwhelming health systems around the world. ”
The WHO also said that the increase in the number of cases last week varied by region of the world: the number doubled in the region of the Americas, but increased by only 7% in Africa.
There will be other variants
WHO Director of the Emergency Management Program, Dr Michael Ryan, has warned of “wishful thinking” that Omicron may be the latest variant of this epidemic. “There is still a lot of energy in this virus,” he warned Thursday.
Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO technical manager on COVID-19, adds “that it is very unlikely that Omicron will be the last variant we will talk about”.
WHO officials called on the population to step up measures to fight the pandemic, such as getting vaccinated, ventilating the rooms, maintaining appropriate distancing and wearing masks … but correctly.
I am struck by the way people wear the mask. Wearing a mask under your chin is no use! And that gives you a false sense of security.
Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO Technical Officer on COVID-19
Separately, Dr Ryan said that WHO’s work with the International Olympic Committee and China – which is slated to host the 2022 Winter Games – has led him to be “confident” that the measures that the organizers put in place were “very strict and very strong”.
“At this point, we do not see any increased risk of disease transmission in this context,” said Dr. Ryan.