WHO warns of now spiking COVID-19 regional outbreaks



US Representative Maxine Waters, Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the longest performing Rock Star Mick Jagger have announced they have the COVID-19 disease. They are each fully vaccinated but current vaccines do not prevent infection however they do significantly reduce the possibility of a bad outcome like hospitalization and death.

China’s extreme measures including lockdowns, testing and treating during the entire pandemic and a shockingly new and recent acute outbreak has delivered a good outcome.

“China’s bold approach to contain the rapid spread of this new respiratory pathogen has changed the course of a rapidly escalating and deadly epidemic,” says a report released late February. “This decline in COVID-19 cases across China is real,” but some scientists say these measures could not be applied in other countries.

Current forecasts for the United States are still worrisome for several regions. The Mayo Clinic has published a 14 day forecast.

Southeast Asia may be on the verge of getting slammed by COVID-19 as cases turn upwards at a 33% increase, says the World Health Organization.

Data is suggesting that the United Kingdom is entering a new wave driven by the BA.4 and BA.5 variants of Omicron which have an infection profile somewhat similar to the Delta variant.

In the Philippines, Manila cases are growing and officials are urging people to get their booster shots and mask up (required by law). Also, a concomitant rise in cases of Dengue fever has been reported in Baguio City. Officials say they will begin using the COVID-19 tracking system to also maintain watch on Dengue Fever cases.

Video: Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove spells out the WHO concerns about COVID-19 spikes.


Omicron BA.4 and BA.5  may cause more severe disease.

Kei Sato at the University of Tokyo says BA.4, BA.5 and BA.2.12.1 may have evolved to target infection of lung cells, rather than upper respiratory tract tissue making them closer in behaviour to variants like Alpha or Delta. BA.4 and BA.5  may cause more severe disease.


“Vaccination levels need to be kept high,” says Dr. Fred Harris of the
Civil Society Partners against COVID-19 tracking team in Singapore.

“Nowhere is official government testing truly sufficient to track the disease and maintain surveillance on this disease,” added Dr. Harris, saying very much the same thing as WHO officials.

5 Dec 2024 COVID-19 Data for The Entire World from CSPaC

Above data source: Civil Society Partners against COVID-19

 

Below map: Global Hotspots as tracked by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control

Among the world’s COVID-19 red-level dangerous travel destinations as set out by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are now Mexico, New Caledonia, United Arab Emirates (the latest) and enduring COVID-19 hot-spots Australia, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, The Netherlands and United Kingdom.

Recent COVID-19 Hot SPots

Below: Seven Day average of new deaths globally is 1,679. Case count daily is now more than 470,000 and climbing.

Hospitalizations in Canada as an example are still very high.