WHO says global rise in Covid-19 cases ‘tip of the iceberg’
- Reported Covid-19 cases rose globally by 8 per cent last week, with more than 11 million cases, 43,000 new deaths
- Official global death toll is more than six million – though the true figure is believed to be several times higher
Figures showing a global rise in Covid-19 cases could herald a much bigger problem as some countries also report a drop in testing rates, the WHO said on Tuesday, warning nations to remain vigilant against the virus.
After more than a month of decline, Covid-19 cases started to increase around the world last week, the WHO said, with lockdowns in Asia and China’s Jilin province battling to contain an outbreak.
A combination of factors was causing the increases, including the highly transmissible Omicron variant and its cousin the BA. 2 sub-variant, and the lifting of public health and social measures, the WHO said.
“These increase are occurring despite reductions in testing in some countries, which means the cases we’re seeing are just the tip of the iceberg,” WHO’s head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters.
Low vaccination rates in some countries, driven partly by a “huge amount of misinformation” also explained the rise, WHO officials said.