Geneva: After a brief phase that saw a rise in COVID-19 cases for two consecutive weeks in March 2022, the cases declined globally by 14 per cent as compared to the previous week during the week of March 21 through 27, 2022.
However, during the same period, the number of new weekly deaths increased by 43%, likely driven by changes in the definition of COVID-19 deaths in some countries in the Region of the Americas (Chile and the United States of America) and by retrospective adjustments reported from India in the South-East Asia Region, the World Health Organization stated here today.
The highest number of new weekly deaths were reported from Chile (11 858 new deaths; +1710%), the United States of America (5 367 new deaths; +83%), India (4 525 new deaths; +619%), the Russian Federation (2 859 new deaths; -22%), and the Republic of Korea (2 471 new deaths; +22%).
The highest number of new weekly cases were reported from the Republic of Korea (2 442 195 new cases; -13%), Germany (1 576 261 new cases; +2%), Viet Nam (1 127 716 new cases; -40%), France (845 119 new cases; +45%), and Italy (503 932 new cases; +6%).
Across the six WHO regions, over 10 million new cases and over 45 000 new deaths were reported. All regions reported decreasing trends in the number of new weekly cases and four regions reported a decreasing trend in new weekly deaths. As of March 27, 2022, over 479 million confirmed cases and over 6 million deaths have been reported globally.
WHO releases a strategy to strengthen and scale up genomic surveillance
Meanwhile, WHO today released a strategy to strengthen and scale up genomic surveillance around the world.
Genomic surveillance is the process of constantly monitoring pathogens and analyzing their genetic similarities and differences. It helps researchers, epidemiologists and public health officials to monitor the evolution of infectious diseases agents, alert on the spread of pathogens, and develop countermeasures like vaccines.
WHO said historically, few countries had routinely done genomic surveillance in-country, a technology considered complicated and expensive. But COVID-19 changed that.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that health systems need genomic surveillance so that risks are rapidly detected and addressed,” WHO stated. It added that this technology has been critical in this response, from the identification of a novel Coronavirus, to the development of the first diagnostic tests and vaccines, to the tracking and identification of new virus variants.
“Genomic surveillance is critical for stronger pandemic and epidemic preparedness and response,” said Dr Michael Ryan, Executive Director, WHO Health Emergencies Programme. “This pandemic has laid bare the fact that we live in an interconnected world and that we are only as strong as our weakest link. Improving global disease surveillance means improving local disease surveillance. That is where we need to act, and this strategy will provide us with the foundation,” he said.
The Global genomic surveillance strategy for pathogens with pandemic and epidemic potential 2022–2032 is not specific to a single pathogen or disease threat. It provides a high-level unifying framework to leverage existing capacities, address barriers and strengthen the use of genomic surveillance worldwide.
Data collected by WHO showed that in March 2021, 54% of countries had this capacity. By January 2022, thanks to the major investments made during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number had increased to 68%. Even greater gains were made in the public sharing of sequence data: in January 2022, 43% more countries published their sequence data compared to a year before.
Despite this fast progress, much remains to be done. Any new technology comes with the risk of increasing inequity, which is one of the gaps this strategy targets.
Various public health programmes – from Ebola to cholera – use genomic surveillance to understand a pathogen at its molecular level, but COVID-19 has highlighted the challenges of bringing genomics to scale.
“The complexities of genomics and the challenges of sustaining capacities in different settings, including workforce needs, means that most countries cannot develop these capabilities on their own. The global strategy helps keep our eyes on the horizon and provides a unifying framework for action. WHO looks forward to working with countries and partners in this important and highly dynamic field,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “We will do best if we work together,” he added.
– global bihari bureau
