WHO "COVID-19 is not over... Concern over spreading risk of death"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] The World Health Organization (WHO) on the 12th (local time) maintained the international public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) for COVID-19 and warned of the risk of death due to its spread.

In a statement on the day, WHO announced that Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made this decision. Accordingly, WHO has maintained the PHEIC for COVID-19 for more than two years and six months since declaring it in January 2020. PHEIC is the highest level of public health alert that WHO can issue, and when this level is declared, WHO can strongly promote various research, funding, and international health measures.

Earlier, the WHO International Health Emergency Committee held its 12th meeting on the 8th and recommended maintaining the PHEIC for COVID-19, which Director-General Tedros accepted.

The Emergency Committee judged that considering the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in many countries, the continuous evolution of the virus, and the pressure on medical institutions in responding to the disease, the COVID-19 epidemic situation should still be regarded as an emergency.

Director-General Tedros stated, "The new spread of the virus shows that COVID-19 is not over," and pointed out, "The increasing trend in deaths is concerning." He recommended that countries reinstate measures such as mask-wearing and emphasized, "The new wave of the virus shows that COVID-19 is not yet over."

The recent resurgence is rapidly continuing, centered in Europe. Europe is experiencing a spread driven by the B4.A and BA.5 Omicron subvariants. According to Eurostat, about 2.1 million people tested positive in the last week of last month. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's COVID-19 technical lead, said, "The virus is spreading at a very strong level worldwide."

On the day, the WHO Regional Director for Europe recommended that all vulnerable adults and their close contacts receive a second additional vaccine dose.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.