The latest data released by the World Health Organization on September 16 shows that the cumulative number of confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia in the world has reached 608,328,548, with 6,501,469 deaths. Regarding the epidemic situation in the upcoming autumn and winter, the World Health Organization recently stated that there will still be a wave of new coronavirus infections around the world in the future, and countries must prepare for any possible epidemic risks. Maria Van Kerckhoff, technical director of the WHO Health Emergencies Program, said that the new coronavirus is still spreading at a high level around the world. “In fact, we know that the number of (coronavirus) cases (coronavirus) reported by (countries) to WHO is underestimated. We believe that the actual number of cases is much higher than reported.” Ryan also said that even if the momentum of the new crown pneumonia epidemic is waning, countries must remain vigilant because the adversary is “a highly volatile and still evolving virus.”
Recently, the epidemic has rebounded in some countries and regions, and severe cases and deaths have surged. The latest data shows that the cumulative number of confirmed cases in the United States has exceeded 95 million; from the end of August to the beginning of September, there were about 300 new deaths per day in Japan, the highest level since the outbreak; the number of deaths in the United Kingdom this summer due to infection with the new crown virus is Double the same period last year; France has more than 150,000 deaths; South Korea has more than 24 million confirmed cases and more than 27,000 deaths.
A recent analysis by the Tokyo Metropolitan Public Welfare and Health Bureau shows that the sequelae of new coronary pneumonia have nothing to do with age, the presence or absence of underlying diseases, and the degree of symptoms at the onset of infection. All infected persons may have sequelae. Yan Zhongzhi, a professor of infectious medicine at the Affiliated Hospital of Gachon University in South Korea, believes that although the lethality rate of the Omicron strain has decreased, it is far from a level that does not pose a threat. In addition, the antiviral drugs have not reached the level of popularization to all patients, and it is impossible to ensure that new mutant strains of the new coronavirus will not appear in the future.
In response to this severe situation, public health experts from many countries called on the government to adhere to the prevention and control of the epidemic. WHO calls on countries to formulate targeted policies, promote vaccination, control the spread of the virus, promote virus detection and sequencing, and save more lives. South African virologist Barry Scoub said: “Vaccination is still the most effective way at the moment, and people should still wear masks in confined or indoor spaces to prevent the spread of the virus.”
At present, governments around the world are accelerating the promotion of new crown vaccination. The Chilean Ministry of Health stipulates that when participating in large-scale gatherings such as football games and concerts, you must hold a new crown vaccination certificate, wear a mask, and maintain a safe social distance. At present, 80% of people over the age of 18 in Chile have received the second dose of the new crown vaccine. In the UK, a new round of new crown vaccinations began in early September in England and Scotland, with priority given to the elderly, nursing home staff, and people with weakened immune systems. The Vietnamese government recently issued a document requesting the Ministry of Health to urge and assist provinces and cities to speed up the vaccination of the third and fourth doses of the new crown vaccine for people over 12 years old.
“People’s Daily” (page 17 on September 20, 2022)
(Editors: Wang Diyuan, Xie Long)
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