PAHO: Americas records highest COVID cases since pandemic emerged

Pan American Health Organisation – PAHO noted that the Americas region recorded the highest COVID-19 cases last week since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in the region in 2020, highlighting that the Omicron variant became the predominant strain. As per the statistics, more than 8 million new cases of the novel coronavirus were recorded, which is a 32% rise compared to the previous week’s data.

Meanwhile, with the arrival of 18,000 deaths, last week also witnessed an increase of 37% in the death rate of the Americas region. Speaking during a weekly briefing, the regional health agency highlighted the new infections rises by a triple margin in the southern states of Mexico, whereas, in the same duration, Brazil saw a massive increase of 193%.

In the duration of January 17 to 23, 2022, more than 21 million of the COVID-19 cases have been recorded worldwide, in which the United States topped by reporting a total of 4,215,852 deadliest infections.

Apart from this, the health agency expressed concern about the education of the children in the Americas, noting that amid the current situation of the contagious COVID-19 virus, millions of students are yet looking forward to getting back to the classes, which is the worst education crisis ever witnessed in the region, according to PAHO.

With this, PAHO officials also encouraged the parents to get themselves and their children vaccinated against the deadliest pandemic while also appreciating the countries that are already safely administering COVID vaccines among the adolescent population.

World Health Organisation, last week also approved the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine produced by Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) for the age group between 5 to 12 years. Although, Cuba is the first-ever country in the world that started inoculating a population of toddlers with its homegrown COVID-19 vaccines.

The regional health agency has further called on the people to take every precaution and abide by the COVID-19 health protocols and guidelines put in place.