"100 new cases every three seconds": WHO sees the end of the pandemic - but warns of new variants

Created: 01/25/2022, 14:52

By: Patrick Huljina

Omicron "creates a credible hope for stabilization and normalization," said WHO chief for Europe, Hans Kluge.

Nevertheless, experts warn against hasty optimism.

Copenhagen/Geneva – The Corona* pandemic has been going on for around two years now.

In recent weeks, Omikron has caused a rapid increase in the number of cases worldwide.

In Germany, the seven-day incidence on Monday (January 24) was 840.3, the highest ever.

But the World Health Organization (WHO) apparently sees a light at the end of the tunnel - but also warns of new variants.

Corona: WHO expects a “time of calm” – but the virus “surprised us more than once”

"It is plausible that the region is moving towards an end phase of the pandemic," Hans Kluge told the AFP news agency on Sunday (January 23).

When the current omicron wave in Europe subsides, there will be "global immunity for a few weeks and months, either thanks to vaccination or because people have immunity because of an infection," said the WHO Europe chief.

In addition, seasonal effects would relax the Corona situation *, added Kluge with a view to the upcoming spring and summer.

"So we're anticipating that there will be a period of calm before Covid-19 could come back towards the end of the year, but the pandemic isn't necessarily coming back," the WHO expert said.

Omikron "creates credible hope for stabilization and normalization," says Kluge.

The variant leads to significantly milder gradients than the previously dominant Delta variant.

During the current omicron wave, there is increasing hope that Corona* will develop from a pandemic* into an endemic infection, which, like the flu, will occur permanently and frequently in a limited region or in parts of the population.

Kluge explained: "There is a lot of talk about an endemic, but endemic means that it is possible to predict what will happen." Corona "surprised us more than once, so we have to be very careful".

He therefore warned of further possible mutations of the virus.

WHO chief Tedros warns against hasty optimism – but: "Can end global emergency situation"

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned against premature optimism at a meeting of the Executive Council in Geneva on Monday (January 24) and does not want to know anything about the end phase of the corona pandemic.

"It would be dangerous to assume that Omicron was the last variant and that we are already in the final stages," he said.

Because of the rapid spread of the omicron variant, 100 new cases from all over the world were reported to the WHO every three seconds last week.

One death was added every twelve seconds, Tedros reported.

WHO chief Tedros warns against hasty optimism about a possible end to the corona pandemic.

(Archive image) © Salvatore Di Nolfi/dpa

But the WHO boss is certain: "We can end Covid-19 as a global emergency situation, and we can do it this year." However, among other things, the vaccination gaps in poorer countries would have to be closed.

Only if 70 percent of the population in every country is vaccinated in the coming months can the virus be defeated, Tedros said.

According to the WHO boss, for example, 85 percent of people in Africa have not yet received a corona vaccination*.

In addition, treatment options would have to be improved in order to reduce mortality.