WHO: 'The second year of the pandemic will be more deadly than the first'

The second year of the Covid-19 pandemic is on track to become "much more deadly" than the first.

This was stated by WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus who then added: "Do not vaccinate the children but give the doses to Covax".

Launched in April 2020 by the World Health Organization itself, Covax is the global collaborative program to accelerate the development, production and equal access for all countries to vaccines against Covid-19.

In

the toll of coronavirus cases has exceeded the threshold of 24 million: this is what emerges from the counts of Johns Hopkins University. According to the American university, 24,046,809 infections have been registered in the country since the beginning of the pandemic, a toll pushed by a wave of 343,144 new positives in the last 24 hours. At the same time, the total number of deaths caused by Covid has risen to 262,317. 

The

reported 2,383 deaths and 74,592 cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, bringing the number of deaths and infections, recorded since the beginning of the pandemic, respectively 430,417 and 15,433,989: this is what was reported by the National Council health secretaries (Conass).

Although the daily average of deaths has decreased since April 29 - now stands at 1,924 - the average of infections in the last seven days has increased again and is 61,489.

The State of Sao Paulo is still the leader in terms of cases and deaths across the country, if we consider the absolute numbers: they are 3,053,889 and 102,934 respectively.

However, the highest lethality rate is always recorded in Rio de Janeiro, with 5.9%, more than double the national average, which is 2.8%.

The

is preparing to declare an anti-Covid state of emergency in three other prefectures of the country to deal with an increase in local coronavirus cases: the Minister of Economy, Yasutoshi Nishimura said, according to the Guardian. This Sunday the state of emergency, which is already in force in six prefectures - including those of Tokyo and Osaka - until May 31, will be extended to Hokkaido, Okayama and Hiroshima. The rise in states of emergency comes just 10 weeks before the Tokyo Olympics, while experts point out that medical resources are already almost at their limit and the vaccination campaign continues in slow motion. In fact, so far only 3% of the population has been immunized. According to data from Johns Hopkins University since the beginning of the pandemic, Japan has recorded 668,672 cases of contagion, including 11.252 deaths.

In the

 For now, the overall rate of Covid infections continues to drop drastically, despite concerns about the increase in some outbreaks of 'Indian variant' cases. This is confirmed by the weekly data processed by the ONS, the British equivalent of Istat, and updated on 8 May, indicating on that date a total number of infections equal to about one person every 1400 inhabitants throughout the Kingdom (against one every 1180 of the previous week): i.e. no more than 0.07% of the population. A figure that goes hand in hand with the reduction in daily deaths and in the sum of hospitalized patients to the lowest in Europe, against the backdrop of a vaccination campaign which yesterday reached almost 36 million first doses and almost 19 million recalls. While Wales, like a part of Scotland,announces through the mouth of the local government a lowering of the general Covid alert to level 2 from tomorrow, even less than the more prudent passage from 4 to 3 set in recent days for England. The ONS reports the results of a survey conducted among the subjects of His Majesty which suggests the continuation of a new attitude of caution widespread among the people: with 71% of interviewees who say they are still less inclined than in the past to participate in collective public events for the moment, even in the presence of a relaxation of restrictions, and to face the queues required by the residual rules on distancing.Ons reports the results of a survey conducted among His Majesty's subjects which suggests the continuation of a new attitude of caution widespread among the people: with 71% of interviewees who say they are still less inclined than in the past to participate in collective public events for the moment, even in the presence of a relaxation of restrictions, and to address the queues required by the residual rules on distancing.Ons reports the results of a survey conducted among His Majesty's subjects which suggests the continuation of a new attitude of caution widespread among the people: with 71% of interviewees who say they are still less inclined than in the past to participate in collective public events for the moment, even in the presence of a relaxation of restrictions, and to address the queues required by the residual rules on distancing.and to address the queues required by the remaining distancing rules.and to address the queues required by the remaining distancing rules.