World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the world will likely transition to a new phase in the COVID-19 pandemic this year.
This new phase will be marked by lower hospitalization and death rates, as well as health systems that can manage the pandemic in "an integrated and sustainable way," Tedros said.
- The WHO issued a statement on Monday saying that, nonetheless, COVID-19 is still a global public health emergency.
- The WHO estimates that at least 90% of the world's population has some immunity against Covid due to prior infection or vaccination.
- Despite this, the WHO statement said:
- "There is little doubt that this virus will remain a permanently established pathogen in humans and animals for the foreseeable future. As such, long-term public health action is critically needed."
- According to WHO data, weekly COVID-19 deaths are down 70% from the peak of the first Omicron wave in early 2022.
- Tedros said it is becoming more difficult to track the emergence of new COVID-19 variants due to a dramatic slowdown in genetic sequencing and surveillance by governments and public health organizations.
- Jagan Chapagain, Secretary General of the International Federation of the Red Cross, said in a separate report that the pandemic should be "a wake-up call" to prepare for future pandemics.
