COVID-19 makes a worrying comeback, WHO warns amid summertime surge

COVID-19 infections are surging globally, including at the Paris Olympics, and are unlikely to decline anytime soon, the World Health Organization (WHO) says. The UN health agency is also warning that more severe variants of the coronavirus may soon be on the horizon.

“COVID-19 is still very much with us,” and circulating in all countries, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove of WHO told journalists in Geneva.

“Data from our sentinel-based surveillance system across 84 countries reports that the percent of positive tests for SARS-CoV-2 has been rising over several weeks,” she said. “Overall, test positivity is above 10 per cent, but this fluctuates per region. In Europe, percent positivity is above 20 per cent,” Dr. Van Kerkhove added.

New waves of infection have been registered in the Americas, Europe and Western Pacific. Wastewater surveillance suggests that the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 is two to 20 times higher than what is currently being reported. Such high infection circulation rates in the northern hemisphere’s summer months are atypical for respiratory viruses, which tend to spread mostly in cold temperatures.

“In recent months, regardless of the season, many countries have experienced surges of COVID-19, including at the Olympics where at least 40 athletes have tested positive,” Dr. Van Kerkhove said.

As the virus continues to evolve and spread, there is a growing risk of a more severe strain of the virus that could potentially evade detection systems and be unresponsive to medical intervention. While COVID-19 hospital admissions, including for Intensive Care Units (ICUs), are still much lower than they were during the peak of the pandemic, WHO is urging governments to strengthen their vaccination campaigns, making sure that the highest risk groups get vaccinated once every 12 months.

“As individuals it is important to take measures to reduce risk of infection and severe disease, including ensuring that you have had a COVID-19 vaccination dose in the last 12 months, especially, if you are in an at-risk group,” stressed Dr. Van Kerkhove.

Vaccines availability has declined substantially over the last 12-18 months, WHO admits, because the number of producers of COVID-19 vaccines has recently decreased. “It is very difficult for them to maintain the pace,” Dr. Van Kerkhove explained. “And certainly, they don't need to maintain the pace that they had in 2021 and 2022. But let's be very clear, there is a market for COVID-19 vaccines that are out there.”

Nasal vaccines are still under development but could potentially address transmission, thereby reducing the risk of further variants, infection and severe disease.

“I am concerned, “ Dr. Van Kerkhove said. “With such low coverage and with such large circulation, if we were to have a variant that would be more severe, then the susceptibility of the at-risk populations to develop severe disease is huge,” Dr. Van Kerkhove warned.

Ends

Story: “COVID-19 situation update – WHO” – 6 August 2024

Speaker:

• Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, Director ad interim Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, WHO

TRT: 02’19”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 06 August 2024 - GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
Geneva Press briefing

SHOTLIST

1. Exterior medium shot: UN flag alley.
   
   
2. Wide shot of the podium with speakers at the press conference room.
   
   
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, Director ad interim Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, WHO: “COVID-19 is still very much with us. The virus is circulating in all countries. Data from our sentinel-based surveillance system across 84 countries reports that the percent of positive tests for SARS-CoV-2 has been rising over the several weeks. Overall, test positivity is above 10 per cent, but this fluctuates per region. In Europe, percent positivity is above 20 per cent. Wastewater surveillance suggests that the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 is two to 20 times higher than what is currently being reported.”
   
   
4. Wide shot of the press conference room.
   
   
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, Director ad interim Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, WHO: “In recent months, regardless of the season, many countries have experienced surges of COVID-19, including at the Olympics. Currently, there at least 40 athletes who have tested positive.”
   
   
6. Wide shot of the press conference room.
   
   
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, Director ad interim Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, WHO: “As individuals it is important to take measures to reduce risk of infection and severe disease, including ensuring that you have had a COVID-19 vaccination dose in the last 12 months, especially, if you are in an at-risk group.”
   
   
8. Medium shot of the press conference room.
   
   
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, Director ad interim Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, WHO: “The availability of vaccines has declined, it has declined substantially over the last 12, 18 months. And this is because the number of producers of vaccines has declined. It is very difficult for them to maintain the pace. And certainly, they don't need to maintain the pace that they had in 2021, in 2022. But let's be very clear, there is a market for COVID-19 vaccines that are out there.”
   
   
10. Close shot of journalist.

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, Director ad interim Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, WHO: “I am concerned. We don't sit here and try to speak based on fear. What we work on are scenarios. What our worry is with such low coverage, especially in the at-risk groups -and I'm not saying other groups don't need to be vaccinated-with such low coverage and with such large circulation, if we were to have a variant that would be more severe, then the susceptibility of the at-risk populations to develop severe disease is huge.”

1. Various shots of the press conference room including close shot of journalists.