WHO worried for health systems over COVID-19 cases ‘tsunami’

Robin Millard, Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="WHO worried for health systems over COVID-19 cases" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/life/12/29/20211229-sign-requiring-masks-washington-rtr.jpg"/><figcaption>A sign requiring masks is seen outside of a closed-down business during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, December 27, 2021. <em>Elizabeth Frantz, Reuters</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>A &quot;tsunami&quot; of omicron and delta COVID-19 cases will pile pressure on health systems already being stretched to their limits, the World Health Organization warned on Wednesday.</p><p>The WHO said the delta and omicron variants of concern were &quot;twin threats&quot; that were driving new case numbers to record highs, leading to spikes in hospitalizations and deaths.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/30/21/rising-covid-19-positivity-rate-in-ph-worrying-octa">Rising COVID-19 positivity rate in PH &#x27;worrying&#x27;: OCTA</a></li></ul><p>The WHO said new global cases had risen by 11 percent last week, while the United States and France both registered record daily case numbers on Wednesday.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/12/30/21/us-covid-cases-hit-new-high-hospitalizations-creep-up">US coronavirus cases hit new high, hospitalizations creep up</a></li></ul><p>&quot;I am highly concerned that omicron, being more transmissible, circulating at the same time as delta, is leading to a tsunami of cases,&quot; WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference.</p><p>&quot;This is and will continue to put immense pressure on exhausted health workers, and health systems on the brink of collapse.&quot;</p><p>He said the pressure on health systems was not only due to new coronavirus patients, but also large numbers of health workers falling ill with COVID.</p><div><strong>- &#x27;Moral shame&#x27; -</strong></div><p>The WHO reflected on the fight against COVID-19 in 2021 and hoped that next year would see an end to the acute stage of the pandemic, but warned that it would rest on greater vaccine equity.</p><p>The WHO wanted 40 percent of the population in every country fully vaccinated by the end of the year and has a target of 70 percent coverage by the middle of 2022.</p><p>Tedros announced that 92 of the WHO&#x27;s 194 member states were going to miss the 40 percent target.</p><p>&quot;This is due to a combination of limited supply going to low-income countries for most of the year and then subsequent vaccines arriving close to expiry and without key parts like the syringes,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s not only a moral shame, it cost lives and provided the virus with opportunities to circulate unchecked and mutate. In the year ahead, I call for leaders of government and industry to walk the talk on vaccine equity.</p><p>&quot;While 2021 has been hard, I ask everyone to make a New Year&#x27;s resolution to get behind the campaign to vaccinate 70 percent by the middle of 2022.&quot;</p><div><strong>- Misinformation and populism -</strong></div><p>Tedros slammed the attitude of richer countries accusing them of hogging the weapons to combat COVID-19, and leaving the back door open for the virus. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/12/29/21/omicron-risk-remains-very-high-who">Omicron risk remains ‘very high’, says WHO, as COVID cases spike</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Populism, narrow nationalism and hoarding of health tools, including masks, therapeutics, diagnostics and vaccines, by a small number of countries, undermined equity, and created the ideal conditions for the emergence of new variants,&quot; he said. </p><p>Meanwhile, disinformation had been a constant distraction in 2021, hampering efforts to beat the pandemic.</p><p>&quot;In the huge waves of cases currently seen in Europe and in many countries around the world, misinformation which has driven vaccine hesitancy is now translating to the unvaccinated disproportionally dying,&quot; he said.</p><p>Tedros lamented that while there were 1.8 million recorded deaths in 2020, there were 3.5 million in 2021, and the true number would be much higher.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/12/29/21/rapid-covid-tests-not-as-accurate-vs-omicron-regulator">Rapid COVID-19 tests not as accurate with omicron, says US regulator</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1878132" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

The WHO said the delta and omicron variants of concern were 'twin threats' that were driving new case numbers to record highs.

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WHO worried for health systems over COVID-19 cases ‘tsunami’

WHO worried for health systems over COVID-19 cases ‘tsunami’

Robin Millard,

Agence France-Presse

Published Dec 30, 2021 02:31 AM PHT

|

Updated Dec 30, 2021 05:17 AM PHT

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