Maria van Kerkhove

New evidence that raccoon dogs were at the Chinese market where COVID is suspected to have first infected humans has reignited debate over the origin of the pandemic.

The subvariant of the coronavirus: Omicron XBB.1.5, which in just a few weeks has become dominant in the United States, may cause a new wave, a representative of the World Health Organization told reporters.

The increase in COVID-19 infections in Europe over the past two months is due to the Delta variant, but Omicron could worsen the situation, said Maria Van Kerkhove, head of the technical team at the World Health Organization's emergency department.

Tulio de Oliveira, director of the Center for Epidemic Response and Innovation in South Africa, conveyed to WHO representatives his concerns regarding COVID variant B.1.1.529, which is feared to be the worst variant of COVID identified so far.
After that, WHO decided to hold an extraordinary session, De Oliveira told Financial Times.

The Delta strain poses the greatest threat to people who have not received the COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccination provides protection against the new variant of the coronavirus.

Chief Scientist Sumya Swaminatan said this at a briefing by the World Health Organization. Broadcasts were conducted on Twitter-VOZ pages.

Coronavirus variants are to be known by letters of the Greek alphabet to avoid misreporting and stigmatizing nations where they were first detected, the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced.

The new system applies to variants of concern - the most troubling of which four are in circulation - and the second-level variants of interest being tracked.

India's coronavirus crisis showed scant sign of easing on May 11, with a seven-day average of new cases at a record high and international heath authorities warning the country's variant of the virus poses a global concern.

Europe's Covid-19 death toll surpassed one million on Monday, as the WHO warned that infections are rising exponentially despite widespread efforts aimed at stopping them, news wires reported.  The death toll across Europe's 52 countries, compiled by AFP from official sources, totalled at least 1,000,288 by 1830 GMT.

Europe passed the grim milestone of one million coronavirus deaths on April 12, as the World Health Organization warned that infections are rising exponentially despite widespread efforts aimed at stopping them.

The death toll across Europe's 52 countries, compiled by AFP from official sources, totalled at least 1,000,288 by 1830 GMT.

It is unrealistic to think the world will be done with the COVID-19 pandemic by the end of the year, the World Health Organization warned on March 1.

WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan said it might however be possible to take the tragedy out of the coronavirus crisis by reducing hospitalizations and deaths.