World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that new waves of Covid infections show that the epidemic is “not yet close to its end.”

“New waves of the virus are once again showing that Covid-19 is not yet close to the end… As long as the virus weighs on us, we must fight it,” Ghebreyesus said at a press conference.

“With the rise of hospitals and the spread of Covid-19, it is critical for governments to publish proven measures such as mask wearing, improved ventilation, and screening and treatment protocols,” he added.

In the same context, Drs. Michael Ryan, Chief Emergency Officer at the World Health Organization, told a press conference that the number of Covid cases worldwide has risen by 30% in the past two weeks – an increase driven primarily by “BA”. .4 ″ and BA.5 mutant from Omicron.

On July 11, the World Health Organization counted more than 552.5 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide, of which 232.3 million were in Europe, while more than 6.3 million people had died since the beginning of the epidemic.

Ryan also stressed that simplification of sanitary measures and restricting social distancing, as well as reducing the number of tests for infections, are all factors complicating the fight against the epidemic.

“The virus continues to spread freely, and countries are not effectively sharing the burden of the epidemic according to their ability, either in terms of bringing seriously ill people to hospitals or the growing number of post- Covid patients, often referred to as long-term Covid-19. “Said Ghebreyesus.

The two officials spoke on the sideline of the WHO release of the results of the latest COVID emergency committee meeting, which took place on Friday.

The agency therefore said it would maintain its classification of the Covid-19 epidemic as a “health emergency of scientific importance,” the organization’s highest level of warning since the committee agreed.

The committee pointed out that the frequency of genetic sequencing tests and studies has decreased, making it difficult to assess the impact of the corona mutant and confirm “insufficient continuous monitoring” of the epidemic.

The Committee noted the recent increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in various regions of the world, as well as the lack of appropriate public health measures in areas where there has been a resurgence of infections.