Europe in ceasefire that could see end of pandemic: WHO
COPENHAGEN: Two years after the outbreak of Covid-19, Europe could soon enter a “long period of tranquillity” due to high vaccination rates, the milder Omicron variant and the end of winter, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.
“This period of higher protection should be seen as a ceasefire that could bring us enduring peace”, WHO Europe director Hans Kluge told reporters. “This context, that we have not experienced so far in this pandemic, leaves us with the possibility for a long period of tranquillity,” he added.
Europe would also be in a better position to fend off any resurgence in transmission, “even with a more virulent variant” than Omicron, he added.
“I believe that it is possible to respond to new variants that will inevitably emerge - without reinstalling the kind of disruptive measures we needed before,” Kluge said.
However, he cautioned that the optimistic scenario would only hold true if countries continued their vaccination campaigns and intensified surveillance to detect new variants.
Omicron sub-variant in five African countries
The BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron has been found in five African countries, a World Health Organization scientist said on
Thursday, adding she was concerned about the development.
“BA.2 ... has been reported in five countries, that is Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Senegal as well as South Africa,” Dr Nicksy Gumede-Moeletsi told an online media briefing. “We are very concerned,” she said.
Philippine leader Duterte isolates after exposure Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is self-isolating after being exposed last weekend to a member of his household staff who had Covid-19, but Duterte has twice tested negative following the exposure, his spokesman said on Thursday.
The 76-year-old leader continues to work while in quarantine.
Duterte has been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and received his booster shot last month.