World Health Organization (WHO) warned Tuesday of a new wave of COVID-19 in Europewhich is experiencing a situation similar to that of the summer of 2021, with almost three thousand deaths a week, and called on governments to prepare for the challenge of the upcoming autumn and winter.
“Now it is quite clear that we are in a situation similar to the one that was last summer,” said the director of the regional office WHO in Europe, Hans Henry P. Klugewho said that this time the difference lies in the predominant omicron variant.
“With the rise in cases, we are also seeing an increase in hospital admissions, which will only increase in the fall and winter months as schools reopen, people return from vacations, and social interaction moves indoors as the cold weather arrives,” Kluge concluded. .
This prospect is “a major challenge for health workers in all countries who are already under enormous pressure to deal with recurring crises from 2020.”
“Consider the current situation: in the European Region, the number of new cases of coronavirus infection has tripled. COVID-19 over the past six weeks, and last week nearly three million more, accounting for nearly half of all global cases,” the senior official warned.
“While the COVID-19 hospitalization rate has doubled over the same period, ICU admissions are still relatively low. However, as infection rates continue to rise in older age groups, Europe About 3,000 people still die from COVID-19 every week,” he added.
on the alert
Strategy recommended WHO It consists of raising vaccination levels, giving a second booster dose to immunocompromised people older than five years of age and their environment, and considering a second booster vaccine for certain risk groups at least three months after the last dose.
WHO reminds that the use of masks indoors and on public transport should be encouraged, public places with large numbers of people should be ventilated, and strict therapeutic protocols should be applied for those at risk of serious illness.
In addition, it is recommended to support these measures with laboratory reinforcement to enable rapid diagnosis and trace the spread of variants, and to continue to promote the use of rapid testing methods.
WHO calls for priority to be given to contact tracing and quarantine measures recommended by the organization for all those at high risk, and to promote personal protection measures (use of masks, ventilation, handwashing and vaccination). (EFE)
Source: RPP
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