If the spread of COVID-19 continues at current rates it will be years before the virus is controlled in the Americas, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said on Wednesday, as it called for countries to share excess vaccine doses.

There were almost 1.2 million new cases and 34,000 deaths in the region last week, and four of the five countries with the highest death counts worldwide are in the Americas, PAHO Director Carissa Etienne said during the organization's weekly news conference.

"If current trends continue, the health, social and economic disparities in our region will grow even larger, and it will be years before we control this virus in the Americas," Etienne said.

Infections are higher in many places in the region than at any other point during the pandemic, she said, and the emergence of new more easily transmitted variants has added new complexities to epidemiological surveillance. 
Just 10% of the population of Latin America and the Caribbean have been fully vaccinated, with a particularly acute situation in Central American and the Caribbean.

PAHO is thankful to the United States, Spain, and Canada for promises to donate millions of doses or funding, but more needs to be done, the director said.

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"We hope other countries – particularly those with excess doses – and global financial institutions will follow in their footsteps to provide the support we need," Etienne said. "Vaccine donations are essential in the short-term."

Ahead of the kick-off of the Copa America soccer tournament in Brazil on Sunday, Ciro Ugarte, PAHO's Director of Health Emergencies, said countries hosting mass events should consider postponing if COVID-19 risks cannot be controlled.

Venezuela still owes $10 million in funding for vaccines via the COVAX vaccine sharing program, Ugarte said. 
COVAX supply for Venezuela will likely not be ready soon because of global demand, but PAHO hopes Venezuela and other regional countries will be given priority because they have not yet received COVAX doses.

Hospitalizations in Haiti are stretching oxygen supplies there, Etienne said. Haiti, one of only a handful of countries that has yet to administer a single dose of coronavirus vaccine, is grappling with its first major outbreak.

Bolivia and Colombia are seeing a rise in cases and deaths and intensive care unit beds are near capacity in many Colombian cities, Etienne added.

If the spread of COVID-19 continues at current rates it will be years before the virus is controlled in the Americas, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said on Wednesday, as it called for countries to share excess vaccine doses.

If the spread of COVID-19 continues at current rates it will be years before the virus is controlled in the Americas, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said on Wednesday, as it called for countries to share excess vaccine doses. There were almost 1.2 million new cases and 34,000 deaths in the region last week, and four of the five countries with the highest death counts worldwide are in the Americas, PAHO Director Carissa Etienne said during the organization's weekly news conference. "If current trends continue, the health, social and economic disparities in our region will grow even larger, and it will be years before we control this virus in the Americas," Etienne said. Infections are higher in many places in the region than at any other point during the pandemic, she said, and the emergence of new more easily transmitted variants has added new complexities to epidemiological surveillance. Just 10% of the population of Latin America and the Caribbean have been fully vaccinated, with a particularly acute situation in Central American and the Caribbean. PAHO is thankful to the United States, Spain, and Canada for promises to donate millions of doses or funding, but more needs to be done, the director said. Also Read | Worldwide plastics production falls in 2020 for the first time since 2008: Report "We hope other countries – particularly those with excess doses – and global financial institutions will follow in their footsteps to provide the support we need," Etienne said. "Vaccine donations are essential in the short-term." Ahead of the kick-off of the Copa America soccer tournament in Brazil on Sunday, Ciro Ugarte, PAHO's Director of Health Emergencies, said countries hosting mass events should consider postponing if COVID-19 risks cannot be controlled. Venezuela still owes $10 million in funding for vaccines via the COVAX vaccine sharing program, Ugarte said. COVAX supply for Venezuela will likely not be ready soon because of global demand, but PAHO hopes Venezuela and other regional countries will be given priority because they have not yet received COVAX doses. Hospitalizations in Haiti are stretching oxygen supplies there, Etienne said. Haiti, one of only a handful of countries that has yet to administer a single dose of coronavirus vaccine, is grappling with its first major outbreak. Bolivia and Colombia are seeing a rise in cases and deaths and intensive care unit beds are near capacity in many Colombian cities, Etienne added.

PAHO urges countries to share excess vaccine doses

Infections of coronavirus have been alarmingly increasing in the US, and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has revealed that more than half of global deaths caused by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus?page=1">coronavirus</a> have been in the US.

“More than half of all global deaths reported over the last week were in the Americas – a sober reminder of the human toll of this pandemic,” PAHO’s director, Carissa Etienne, said.

“Over the last week, the United States, Brazil and Argentina were among the 10 countries in the world registering the highest number of new infections worldwide,” Etienne added.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-variant-of-covid-19-is-now-most-common-strain-in-united-states-cdc-376038" hreflang="en">UK variant of COVID-19 is now most common strain in United States: CDC</a>

PAHO has declared South America to be the most worrisome region in the Americas where cases have been alarmingly increasing in the past month. Bolivia and Columbia, especially, saw double the number of cases in the past week.

The region has registered more than 1.3 million new cases and nearly 37,000 deaths by coronavirus in the past week.

What has also worried PAHO is that areas such as Guatemala and Honduras have barely vaccinated one per cent of the population.

Etienne also used the opportunity to raise awareness about helping third world countries that are struggling to secure vaccines and are seeing an alarming increase in coronavirus cases due to poor health infrastructure and staggering sanitisation.

“Effectively fighting COVID-19 is impossible without addressing some of these inequalities and supporting the most vulnerable as they struggle to protect themselves,” she said. “On World Health Day, we urge countries to make equity the guiding force of their COVID response.’

Infections of coronavirus have been alarmingly increasing in the US, and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has revealed that more than half of global deaths caused by coronavirus have been in the US.

Infections of coronavirus have been alarmingly increasing in the US, and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has revealed that more than half of global deaths caused by coronavirus have been in the US. “More than half of all global deaths reported over the last week were in the Americas – a sober reminder of the human toll of this pandemic,” PAHO’s director, Carissa Etienne, said. “Over the last week, the United States, Brazil and Argentina were among the 10 countries in the world registering the highest number of new infections worldwide,” Etienne added. Also read | UK variant of COVID-19 is now most common strain in United States: CDC PAHO has declared South America to be the most worrisome region in the Americas where cases have been alarmingly increasing in the past month. Bolivia and Columbia, especially, saw double the number of cases in the past week. The region has registered more than 1.3 million new cases and nearly 37,000 deaths by coronavirus in the past week. What has also worried PAHO is that areas such as Guatemala and Honduras have barely vaccinated one per cent of the population. Etienne also used the opportunity to raise awareness about helping third world countries that are struggling to secure vaccines and are seeing an alarming increase in coronavirus cases due to poor health infrastructure and staggering sanitisation. “Effectively fighting COVID-19 is impossible without addressing some of these inequalities and supporting the most vulnerable as they struggle to protect themselves,” she said. “On World Health Day, we urge countries to make equity the guiding force of their COVID response.’

More than half of global coronavirus deaths last week from Americas: PAHO

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