WHO predicts 200mil Covid-19 cases in two weeks

THE World Health Organisation (WHO) expects the total number of the Covid-19 cases to pass 200 million in the next two weeks.
Director-general Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus gave this prediction last Saturday.
“Almost four million cases were reported to the WHO last week, and, on current trends, we expect the total number of cases to pass 200 million within the next two weeks,” he said.
“We know that is an underestimate.”
Dr Ghebreyesus said on average, in five of the WHO’s six regions, infections had increased by 80 per cent, or nearly doubled, over the past four weeks.
In Africa, deaths increased by 80 per cent over the same period.
“Much of this increase is being driven by the highly-transmissible delta variant, which has now been detected in 132 countries,” Dr Ghebreyesus said.
“The World Health Organisation has warned that the Covid-19 virus has been changing since it was first reported and it continues to change.
“So far, four variants of concern have emerged and there will be more as long as the virus continues to spread.
“The rise is also driven by increased social mixing and mobility, the inconsistent use of public health and social measures and inequitable vaccine use.
“Hard-won gains are in jeopardy or being lost and health systems in many countries are being overwhelmed.
“The increased number of infections is creating a shortage of treatments such as life-saving oxygen.”
Twenty-nine countries have high and rising oxygen needs and many countries have inadequate supplies of basic equipment to protect frontline health workers.
In response to the delta surge, the access to the Covid-19 tools accelerator launched the rapid Act-accelerator delta response, issuing an urgent call for US$7.7 billion (about K27bil) for tests, treatments and vaccines.