‘Concerning Trends’: WHO Cautions Against The Covid-19 Situation In The Northern Hemisphere

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a warning on disturbing Covid-19 trends in the Northern Hemisphere ahead of winter, calling for increased vaccinations and surveillance.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday said, "Deaths are increasing in some parts of the Middle East and Asia, intensive care unit admissions are increasing in Europe and hospitalisations are increasing in several regions."

However, just 43 countries – less than a quarter of the 194 WHO member nations – report Covid deaths to the organisation, and only 20 give hospitalisation data, he added.

The WHO chief said that while there is not currently a single dominant Covid variant worldwide, the EG.5 Omicron subvariant is on the rise.

Urging vigilance, Tedros said, "The increase in hospitalisations and deaths shows that Covid-19 is here to stay, and that we will continue to need tools to fight it,"