Pandemic is not over yet by a long shot: Deaths rose every week in 2022
SHOBHA SHUKLA, BOBBY RAMAKANT - CNS
Global health thought leader Dr Tim France rightly tweeted, "Here is the WHO stating explicitly what most people I know are saying to one another privately: Is not it really risky to lift all COVID-19 related measures now, with the virus still circulating in high levels? Clearly, in these global experts' minds, the answer is an emphatic yes."
He was referring to the World Health Organisation (WHO) which has warned "Some countries are lifting all public health and social measures despite high numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths." WHO experts have instead called for a slow approach.
While several countries are relaxing COVID-19 prevention and control measures, the weekly number of deaths have been increasing week after week in 2022. As per the latest epidemiological update of WHO, there were more than 75,000 deaths worldwide due to COVID-19 in the second week of February 2022- almost double of the weekly deaths at the start of 2022.
According to the WHO, 41000 people had died due to COVID-19 in the first week of January 2022, 43000 in the second week, 45000 in the third week, 50000 in the fourth week, and 59000 by the last week. Over 68000 people died due to COVID-19 in first week of February 2022, and 75000 in the second week.
The number of new weekly deaths in the second week of February 2022 had increased in four out of six WHO geographic regions: 38% increase in Eastern Mediterranean, 27% rise in Western Pacific, 14% rise in Africa, and 5% rise in the Americas. Europe reported similar number of deaths as the first week of February whereas southeast Asia reported a decline of 9%.
Let us also have a look at those countries that recorded most deaths (over 1000) in the last seven days (in descending order): US, Brazil, Russia, India, Italy, France, Turkey, Poland, Ukraine, Argentina, Mexico, Peru, Germany, Colombia, Japan, UK, Iran, and South Africa.
Is it true? #EveryLifeMatters
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
1
1
