WHO issues warning about 'early stages' of COVID-19 third wave amid surge in Delta variant

In the midst of the Delta surge, World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus issued a warning to the world about the 'early phases' of third wave of COVID-19. "Unfortunately...we are now in the early stages of a third wave", he said.

The expansion of the Delta variant, together with increased social mobility and inconsistent application of proven public health measures, is driving an increase in both case numbers and deaths, according to the WHO's head. He raised concerns over a new reversal of the positive trend in COVID-19 cases and deaths, which had been driven in recent months by increased vaccination rates in Europe and North America, according to UN reports.

Delta variant is now in 111 countries

Meanwhile, the virus is evolving, resulting in more transmissible strains, according to Tedros. "The Delta variant is now in more than 111 countries and we expect it to soon be the dominant COVID-19 strain circulating worldwide if it isn't already," he said. 

Last week was the fourth week in a row that COVID-19 instances increased globally, with rises in all but one of the WHO's six regions. Deaths are also on the rise again, following a 10-week period of steady decline. Tedros also called the attention of the Emergency Committee on COVID-19 to the "shocking discrepancy" in vaccine distribution around the world, as well as unequal access to life-saving equipment, according to the UN.

He expressed his concern that unfairness has resulted in a two-track pandemic, with one track for nations with the most vaccination access, which are reducing restrictions and reopening their communities, and the other track for those without vaccine access, who have left at the mercy of the virus.

70% of people from all countries will be vaccinated by 2022, according to Tedros

Tedros reaffirmed WHO's call for a large vaccination campaign to reach at least 10% of each country's population by September, 40% by the end of 2021, and 70% by the middle of 2022. He emphasised that vaccines alone will not be enough to stop the epidemic and urged countries to stick to a 'tailored and consistent approach.'

WHO recently amended its advice to make it easier to take a risk-based approach to open. The Agency is also considering alternatives for digitising the International Certificate for Vaccination and Prophylaxis in order to provide a standardised approach to vaccination status recording.

(Inputs from ANI)