A new subvariant of coronavirus XBB.1.5 has been detected in 29 countries around the world. UN News reports, citing a statement by WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus.
Tedros Ghebreyesus noted that for most of the past year, COVID-19 was on the decline, the scale of vaccination was growing, new antiviral drugs were found that helped to reduce the death rate.
But despite the obvious progress, the threat of COVID-19 persists. As the head of WHO said, there are still inequalities in access to prevention measures, testing, vaccination and treatment of coronavirus infection.
«Illness and hospitalization rates are on the rise. About 10,000 people die from COVID-19 every week. The real numbers are likely much higher,» Tedros Ghebreyesus told representatives of WHO member states.
He stated that the current epidemiological picture of COVID-19 was alarming. Rapid transmission of the virus is observed, especially in regions of the northern hemisphere. According to the head of the UN, a new subvariant of the coronavirus, XBB.1.5, which is «a recombinant of Omicron BA.2 strains,» is rapidly spreading.
The head of WHO noted that Omicron XBB.1.5 was first identified in October 2022. It currently circulates in 29 countries around the world and its distribution is growing rapidly in some regions.
Tedros Ghebreyesus added that the WHO was closely monitoring this subvariant, assessing the risks and would report on it.
«COVID-19 is likely to remain the main topic of discussion, but I believe and hope that with the right efforts, this will be the year of the official end of the public health emergency,» the head of WHO said.
