Infections surge, 160K cases reported everyday – WHO
GENEVA: The global coronavirus pandemic is accelerating, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila), with the number of cases surging beyond 160,000 every day in the past week, a record.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a virtual briefing that well over half of all cases recorded since
the novel coronavirus first emerged in China late last year were registered in June.
“For the past week, the number of the new cases has exceeded 160,000 on every single day,” he said, adding that “60 percent of all cases so far have been reported just in the past month.”
Data provided by the United Nations health agency showed that the highest number of new daily coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases ever recorded came on June 28, when more than 189,500 new cases were registered worldwide.
Prior to June 25, daily cases only surpassed 160,000 twice before, both in the preceding week, while daily cases did not pass the 100,000 mark until May 18, the data showed.
With over 511,000 deaths and more than 10.5 million known infections worldwide, the coronavirus pandemic is “not even close to being over,” the WHO warned earlier this week. Tedros reiterated that taking a “comprehensive approach” was the best way to rein in the virus.
“Find, isolate, test, and care for every case; trace and quarantine every contact; equip and train health workers; and educate and empower communities to protect themselves and others,” he said.
“Not testing alone. Not physical distancing alone. Not contact tracing alone. Not masks alone. Do it all.”
Countries that have implemented a wide range of measures, including contact tracing, isolation, physical distancing and mask wearing “have suppressed transmission and saved lives,” he said.
The UN health agency was therefore very concerned, he said, to see that a number of countries “have not used all the tools at their disposal and have taken a fragmented approach.
“These countries face a long, hard road ahead,” the UN chief said, stressing though that “no matter what situation a country is in, it can be turned around.” “It’s never too late,” he said, pointing for instance to how Italy and Spain managed to rein in daunting outbreaks earlier this year.
Tedros also highlighted that more than 1,000 scientists from around the world were this week taking part in discussions on the vast array of Covid-19-related research, including on the development of potential vaccines and treatments.
He reiterated the call for equitable access for all, insisting that while the pandemic posed a scientific challenge, “it’s also a test of character.” “We have a shared responsibility to ensure that all people have access to the tools to protect themselves, especially those who are most at risk.”
Six months into the global pandemic, the WHO said it was aiming next week to send two Geneva-based experts to China to lay the groundwork for an investigation into the virus source.
“The planned mission is an advanced mission...to make preparations with Chinese colleagues, essentially to set up the scope of the mission,” WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan told Wednesday’s briefing.
He added that the team would consist of one animal health expert and one epidemiologist.
Encouraging
The first of four experimental Covid-19 vaccines being tested by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech showed encouraging results in very early testing of 45 people, the companies said on Wednesday.
Study volunteers given either a low or medium dose, in two shots about a month apart, had immune responses in the range expected to be protective, when compared to some
Covid-19 survivors, according to the preliminary results.
Side effects were typical for vaccines, mostly pain at the injection site and fever.
The report has been submitted for publication in a scientific journal but not yet reviewed. With its other potential candidates still in the earliest stage of testing, Pfizer aims to open a largescale study this summer but cannot yet say which shot is best to include.
But researchers did not administer a second shot of the highest dose initially tested, sticking with the low and medium doses. The higher dose shot caused more injection reactions without apparent added benefit.
About 15 different Covid-19 vaccine candidates are in human testing worldwide, with several poised to begin huge, last-stage studies to prove if they really work.
Different companies are pursuing different types of vaccines, boosting the odds that at least one approach might work — although there is no guarantee. The Pfizer and BioNTech candidates use a piece of the coronavirus genetic code to prime the body to recognize and attack the virus.
Earlier this week, Inovio Pharmaceuticals issued a news release saying its gene- based vaccine candidate showed encouraging results in similar early testing in 40 volunteers.