Geneva: The World Health Organization (WHO) continues to ask China for more rapid, regular, reliable data on COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths. The United Nations (UN) Health agency is also calling for comprehensive and real-time viral sequencing.
In the last week, WHO held a high-level meeting with counterparts in China to discuss the surge in cases and hospitalisations. In addition to that, WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution and the COVID-19 clinical management expert network groups both met with Chinese experts.
"WHO is concerned about the risk to life in China and has reiterated the importance of vaccination, including booster doses, to protect against hospitalization, severe disease, and death," WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press briefing on Wednesday.
"This is especially important for older people, those with underlying medical conditions, and others who are at higher risk of severe outcomes," the WHO Chief stated.
According to him, data remains essential for WHO to carry out regular, rapid and robust risk assessments of the current situation and adjust its advice and guidance accordingly. Outside of China, one of the Omicron sub variants originally detected in October 2022 is XBB.1.5, a recombinant of two BA.2 sub-lineages.
It is on the increase in the United States (US) and Europe and has now been identified in more than 25 countries. WHO is following closely and assessing the risk of this subvariant and will report accordingly.
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"Despite clear progress, the threat of COVID-19 persists," he said.
There are still major inequities in access to testing, treatment and vaccination and ultimately COVID-19 remains a dangerous virus to our health, economies and societies overall," he stated.
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