WHO Warns of 'Worrying' Covid Trends Ahead of Winter

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning about concerning trends in Covid-19 ahead of the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere. The health agency has called for increased vaccination efforts and enhanced surveillance. Due to many countries ceasing to report Covid-19 data, comprehensive statistics are limited.

Nevertheless, the UN health agency estimates that hundreds of thousands of individuals worldwide are currently hospitalised due to Covid-19.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed his concern, stating, "We continue to observe worrisome trends for Covid-19 as we approach the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere." He noted that Covid-19-related deaths are on the rise in certain regions of the Middle East and Asia, while intensive care unit admissions are increasing in Europe, and hospitalizations are climbing in several areas.

Tedros pointed out that only 43 countries are currently reporting Covid-19 deaths to the WHO, with only 20 providing information on hospitalizations. He explained that there is currently no dominant Covid-19 variant worldwide, but the EG.5 Omicron subvariant is gaining prominence. Additionally, small numbers of the highly mutated BA.2.86 subvariant have been detected in 11 countries.

The WHO is closely monitoring the BA.2.86 subvariant to assess its transmissibility and potential impact. Tedros emphasized one of the WHO's primary concerns: the low vaccination coverage among at-risk populations. He stated, "The increase in hospitalizations and deaths indicates that Covid-19 is a persistent threat, and we will need continued tools to combat it."

Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's technical lead on Covid-19, highlighted the significant number of people currently hospitalized for Covid-19, expressing concern about the upcoming colder months when people tend to spend more time indoors, increasing the risk of airborne transmission. With influenza and RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) also in circulation, she stressed the importance of testing and vaccination.

Preliminary data suggests that existing vaccines will provide protection against the BA.2.86 subvariant, according to Maria Van Kerkhove.