PandemicsGlobal COVID Rise Continues; 50 Nations Report B117 Variant
In its weekly snapshot of global COVID-19 trends, the World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday that after lower reporting over the 2-week holiday period, cases and deaths are on the rise again in all but one of its regions and that 50 countries have now detected the more transmissible B117 variant first detected in the United Kingdom.
In its weekly snapshot of global COVID-19 trends, the World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday that after lower reporting over the 2-week holiday period, cases and deaths are on the rise again in all but one of its regions and that 50 countries have now detected the more transmissible B117 variant first detected in the United Kingdom.
In a separate announcement yesterday, the WHO said its COVID-19 emergency committee will meet tomorrow for the sixth time to discuss the latest developments and tweak their recommendations.
Cases Climbing in Most Regions
In its situation report, the WHO said all regions are experiencing increased COVID-19 activity, except for South East Asia. Last week, cases were up more than 30% in the Western Pacific, Africa, and Americas regions. The five countries reporting the most cases were the United States, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Russia, and Germany.
Fifty countries encompassing all of the WHO’s regions have now reported cases involving the B117 variant, up from 40 the previous week. Also, 20 countries have now reported the more transmissible 501Y.V2 variant first detected in South Africa, up from 6 the week before.
The WHO also acknowledged two more variants of concern linked to Brazil, including B1128, detected by Japan among four travelers from Brazil, and a similar variant that appears to have evolved separately in Brazil, both which have a mutation or mutations that may affect transmissibility and host immunity.
Cases Accelerating in Nearly All Americas Countries
At a Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) briefing yesterday, Director Carissa Etienne, MBBS, MSc, said cases are rising in nearly all countries in the Americas, putting pressure on hospitals in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. In South and Central America, it’s too early to assess the impact of the holiday season on COVID-19 patterns, but by early January, cases were already rising in Costa Rica and Belize, with record rises seen in many Caribbean locations.
Etienne urged countries to do everything in their power to be vigilant and control the virus. “Our collective ability to keep up with these measures has the power to determine the trajectory of this year,” she said. “If we remain diligent, we have the power to control this virus; if we relax, make no mistake: 2021 could well be far worse than 2020.”
