‘Not yet time’: WHO warns against lowering guard on Covid-19
PremiumThe WHO in its weekly update had also stressed that countries should continue surveillance, where possible, and rapid data sharing on publicly available databases
The emergency committee of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has unanimously agreed that it is not yet time to lower the guard down on Covid-19, reported news agency AFP, quoting the group's head.
"The decision was unanimous that it is not yet the time," said Didier Houssin, after the committee concluded that the pandemic still constituted a public health emergency of international concern – the highest level of alert that the WHO can sound.
This comes as the UN health body in its weekly update had also stressed that countries should continue surveillance, where possible, and rapid data sharing on publicly available databases.
According to WHO, the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to evolve. With such intense transmission worldwide, further variants, including recombinants, will emerge. “This is expected."
It also informed that it is continuing to monitor “several descendent lineages" of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
The descendent lineages under the Omicron Variant of Concern include BA.1, BA.2, BA.3 as well as now BA.4 and BA.5. It also includes BA.1/BA.2 circulating recombinant forms, such as XE.
The update said that the Omicron variant remains the dominant variant circulating globally.
“A small number of sequences of BA.4 and BA.5 descendent lineages have now been detected in a few countries. Both have additional mutations in the Spike region (S:L452R, S:F486V) and unique mutations outside of Spike. The S:L452R and S:F486V mutations are associated with potential immune escape characteristics," said WHO.
It added that it is working with scientists to further assess the characteristics of these lineages and their public health implications.
The WHO informed that globally, during the week of 4 through 10 April, the number of new Covid-19 cases and deaths has continued to decline for a third consecutive week, with over 7 million cases and over 22,000 deaths reported, a decrease of 24% and 18% respectively, as compared to the previous week.