And so while some countries may have been able to end the emergency phase of this pandemic, we don't see that in all countries worldwide.
So we need to continue to fight this at a global level."-@mvankerkhove of @WHO on 10 May. #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/bAPyng2Kno WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned during a press briefing this week that “the rising cases in more than 50 countries highlights the volatility of this virus." Tedros said COVID-19 variants, including mutated versions of the highly infectious omicron, are driving a resurgence of COVID-19 in several countries, including South Africa, which was the first to identify omicron in November.
He said relatively high rates of population immunity are preventing a spike in hospitalizations and deaths but cautioned that “this is not guaranteed for places where vaccination levels are low." Only about 16% of people in poorer countries have been immunized against COVID-19.
WHO's Africa office said Thursday that cases in South Africa have quadrupled in the last three weeks and COVID-19 deaths have doubled.