WHO warns of tsunami of (Covid19) infections

On December 29th, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that infections with the Omicron and Delta mutant from the Coronavirus, which it likened to a tsunami, will cause the collapse of national health systems.

“I am deeply concerned that the spread of Omicron, being the most contagious at the same time as Delta, will lead to a tsunami of infections,” WHO Secretary-General TedrosAdhanom Ghebreyesus told AFP, adding that this represents a huge burden on overworked health workers and on health systems.

WHO  considered that the two mutations, Delta and Omicron, are concomitant threats that increase the number of new infections, which leads to a sharp rise in hospitalizations and deaths.

Ghebreyesus pointed out that the pressure on health care systems comes not only from new patients, but also from the infection of a large number of healthcare workers with the disease.

Ghebreyesus said that unvaccinated people are more likely to die from one of the two mutations.

WHO had hoped that 40 percent of the world’s population would be fully vaccinated by the end of the year and 70 percent vaccinated by mid-2022, but Ghebreyesus explained that 92 out of 194 member countries of the organization will not achieve the 40 percent target by the end of 2021.

Ghebreyesus said that this is due to Limited shipments of vaccine to low-income countries for most of the year as well as delays in shipments of vaccine doses approaching the expiration date without basic equipment such as syringes.

O. al-Mohammad