New Delhi: After two years and many forms, COVID-19 is still not done with the world. In the latest update, the Chief Scientist of the World Health Organization warned that ‘we need to be prepared for new waves’, noting that each new COVID variant is more transmissible and immunity-evolving. Amid reports of multiple omicron variants circulating at the same time, concerns over fresh Covid waves have once again surfaced, forcing the global health body’s chief scientist to err on the side of caution.
“We need to be prepared for these COVID-19 waves—each new variant will be more transmissible, and immune to immunity—the more infected numbers translate into more hospitalizations and disease. All countries have an accelerated response to changing circumstances. There must be a data driven plan to respond, Soumya Swaminathan wrote on Twitter on Saturday.
we need to be ready for #COVID-19 Waves – each new # type Will be more transmissible and immune degenerative – more infected numbers will translate into more hospitalizations and illness. All countries should have a data driven plan to respond quickly to changing circumstances https://t.co/qAKPIyG8os
— Soumya Swaminathan (@doctorsoumya) 14 July 2022
Swaminathan also attached a source in his tweet from Philip Shelkens, Senior Advisor to the World Bank Group. “We are witnessing a global U-turn in the COVID-19 mortality rate. After months of decline, it has started to rise again. No big surprises given: merits of BA.5, ease towards infection control Attitudes of 3/4 of the world are not being up-to-date on vaccinations.” He tweeted.
In another post, he shared the data to highlight that nearly three-quarters of the world’s people are yet to receive a booster dose.
Meanwhile, several countries like Japan, France and New Zealand are reporting a surge in coronavirus infections, according to reports.
India reported 20,038 new Covid-19 cases, 47 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the total death toll to 5,25,604, according to data released by the health ministry on Friday. Active cases are 1,39,073. The country also reported 16,994 recoveries in a day. The number of people who have recovered from the disease has risen to 4,30,45,350, while the case fatality rate has been recorded at 1.20 per cent.
The active Covid-19 caseload has registered an increase of 2,997 cases in a 24-hour period. The ministry also informed that active cases comprise 0.32 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has been recorded at 98.48 per cent.