In the latest advisory of World Health Organization (WHO), they have warned the public of a possible increase in Covid-19 hospitalization as the colder weather approaches.
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told journalists in Geneva on Wednesday in a press conference that despite a “welcome decline in reported (Covid-19) deaths globally … with colder weather approaching in the northern hemisphere, it’s reasonable to expect an increase in hospitalisations and deaths in the coming months.”
After its pronouncement that the end of Covid-19 is almost
Read: WHO: End of COVID-19 pandemic now in sight
The number of the new weekly cases decreased by 9 per cent to around 5.3 million during the week of August 15 to 21 as compared to the previous week.
The number of new weekly deaths also decreased by 15 per cent as compared to the previous week, with more than 14,000 fatalities reported.
The WHO Chief also warned the public that the current subvariants of Omicron are more transmissible than their predecessors, and the risk of the emergence of even more transmissible and more dangerous variants remains.
“Even in high-income countries, 30 per cent of health workers and 20 per cent of older people remain unvaccinated. These vaccination gaps pose a risk to all of us. So, please get vaccinated if you are not, and get a booster if it’s recommended that you have one,” Tedros added.
Chief Tedros recommended wearing of masks despite it not being required, especially in crowded indoor spaces.