The World Health Organization (WHO) today reported more than 400,000 new cases of Covid-19 in the world during the first three weeks of the year, as well as 7,800 deaths , more than 171,000 hospitalizations and 2,100 admissions to intensive care .
Given the recent rebound in respiratory viruses, the director of the Department of Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention of the UN health agency, Maria Van Kerkhove, pointed out that the coronavirus "has not disappeared," reported the Europa Press news agency.
Along these lines, they highlight the increase in the circulation of JN.1, "a dominant variant throughout the world" that represents around 79 percent of the sequences shared worldwide.
The WHO expects this trend to "continue in the coming weeks," as reported during a seminar that addressed which variants are circulating, their risk and impact, and what can be done to prevent and protect against infections.
For his part, the WHO regional manager for Europe, Hans Kluge, reported a few weeks ago that vaccines against Covid-19 saved at least 1.4 million lives on that continent, mostly people of legal age. and insisted that the virus "is here to stay," reported the AFP news agency.
"Today, 1.4 million people in our (European) region - mostly elderly - can enjoy life with their loved ones because they have made the vital decision to get vaccinated against Covid-19," Kluge said.
"As we learn to live with respiratory viruses, it is absolutely vital for vulnerable populations to stay up to date on their Covid and flu vaccinations," considered the WHO representative.
Likewise, he emphasized the need for Europe to continue investing in health and make "efforts" in terms of financing to improve the situation of workers in the health sector and reduce the shortage of basic medicines.
