The World Health Organization (WHO) is finding more ways to stop the spread of coronavirus, especially with the new variants coming up such as the Delta variant which has also been dubbed as a 'variant of concern'.

In addition to that, the scientific experts are also finding new ways to cure the already-suffering <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">Covid</a> patients. In such an effort, WHO is set to start trials of three drugs to see if they can improve the condition of hospitalised Covid patients.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-averaging-100000-new-covid-infections-a-day-404586">WATCH |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-averaging-100000-new-covid-infections-a-day-404586/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Finding more effective and accessible therapeutics for Covid-19 patients remains a critical need,"&nbsp;said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "We already have many tools to prevent, test for and treat Covid-19, including oxygen, dexamethasone and IL-6 blockers. But we need more, for patients at all ends of the clinical spectrum, from mild to severe disease."

The three drugs being tested now are Artesunate, imatinib and infliximab. These will be tested on more than 600 patients who have been hospitalised in 52 countries due to Covid.

Artesunate is used to treat severe malaria, imatinib helps in curing certain cancers and infliximab is used in the treatment of immune system disorders such as Crohn's and rheumatoid arthritis.

Several doses of these drugs were supplied to selected hospitals by their manufacturers as a donation for this trial.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is finding more ways to stop the spread of coronavirus, especially with the new variants coming up such as the Delta variant which has also been dubbed as a 'variant of concern'.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is finding more ways to stop the spread of coronavirus, especially with the new variants coming up such as the Delta variant which has also been dubbed as a 'variant of concern'. In addition to that, the scientific experts are also finding new ways to cure the already-suffering Covid patients. In such an effort, WHO is set to start trials of three drugs to see if they can improve the condition of hospitalised Covid patients. WATCH | "Finding more effective and accessible therapeutics for Covid-19 patients remains a critical need," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "We already have many tools to prevent, test for and treat Covid-19, including oxygen, dexamethasone and IL-6 blockers. But we need more, for patients at all ends of the clinical spectrum, from mild to severe disease." The three drugs being tested now are Artesunate, imatinib and infliximab. These will be tested on more than 600 patients who have been hospitalised in 52 countries due to Covid. Artesunate is used to treat severe malaria, imatinib helps in curing certain cancers and infliximab is used in the treatment of immune system disorders such as Crohn's and rheumatoid arthritis. Several doses of these drugs were supplied to selected hospitals by their manufacturers as a donation for this trial.

WHO to test three new drugs for potential Covid treatment

An expert from the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that new variants of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus</a> might emerge, and these might be able to evade the existing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?q=coronavirus+vaccine">Covid vaccines</a>.

Maria Van Kerkhove, the COVID-19 technical lead of WHO, said it is very much possible that new variants might be stronger than the existing vaccines. She requested countries to "do everything we can" rather than simply relying on Covid vaccines.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-averages-100000-covid-19-cases-as-delta-variant-surges-florida-worst-hit-403955" hreflang="en">US averages 100,000 COVID-19 cases as Delta variant surges; Florida worst-hit</a>

She also informed that the WHO is now looking at new names in case they finish all 24 letters of the Greek alphabet. As of now, 11 variants have been named, of which Delta, Beta and Alpha have had the main focus.

"We will possibly run out of the Greek alphabet, but we're already looking at the next series of names," she said.

The team of experts is trying to focus on constellation names now. "We're actually considering star constellations. We were going to go with Greek gods or goddesses, and I said please, please don't make me say that publicly," she added.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/delta-variant-fuels-anxiety-and-mask-debates-as-students-return-to-school-403822" hreflang="en">Delta variant fuels anxiety and mask debates as students return to school</a>

She also assured that the names will be chosen keeping in mind no one is offended or upset with the names.

Last year, it was Maria Van Kerkhove who urged everyone to not associate countries with the strain names as she feared it would lead to "stigmatising" a country or place.

An expert from the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that new variants of coronavirus might emerge, and these might be able to evade the existing Covid vaccines.

An expert from the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that new variants of coronavirus might emerge, and these might be able to evade the existing Covid vaccines. Maria Van Kerkhove, the COVID-19 technical lead of WHO, said it is very much possible that new variants might be stronger than the existing vaccines. She requested countries to "do everything we can" rather than simply relying on Covid vaccines. Also read | US averages 100,000 COVID-19 cases as Delta variant surges; Florida worst-hit She also informed that the WHO is now looking at new names in case they finish all 24 letters of the Greek alphabet. As of now, 11 variants have been named, of which Delta, Beta and Alpha have had the main focus. "We will possibly run out of the Greek alphabet, but we're already looking at the next series of names," she said. The team of experts is trying to focus on constellation names now. "We're actually considering star constellations. We were going to go with Greek gods or goddesses, and I said please, please don't make me say that publicly," she added. Also read | Delta variant fuels anxiety and mask debates as students return to school She also assured that the names will be chosen keeping in mind no one is offended or upset with the names. Last year, it was Maria Van Kerkhove who urged everyone to not associate countries with the strain names as she feared it would lead to "stigmatising" a country or place.

Constellation names for new Covid variants that could evade vaccines: WHO

WHO has requested rich nations to stop booster doses of COVID-19 so as to enhance global supply of vaccines. France and Germany has ignored WHO request and will roll out booster doses from September.

COVID-19: France, Germany to give booster doses from September

The World Health Organization on Wednesday urged <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">COVID-19 vaccine</a> manufacturers to keep their prices low and affordable, after reports that two producers will raise the cost they are charging the EU.

Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are upping the prices for their messenger RNA vaccines because they have adapted them to the new virus variants, according to reports.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-calls-for-moratorium-on-booster-shots-as-china-curbs-travel-402928" hreflang="en">WHO calls for moratorium on booster shots as China curbs travel</a>

The Pfizer vaccine will jump from 15.5 euros to 19.5 euros ($18.35 to $23) and Moderna from 19 euros to 21.5 euros ($22.5 to $25.45), British newspaper the Financial Times revealed Sunday, citing the contract concluded with the European Union.

Mariangela Simao, the WHO assistant director general for access to medicines, vaccines and pharmaceuticals, told a press conference on Wednesday: "It's very important that we have companies state policies of affordable prices."

She said both Pfizer and Moderna had increased their manufacturing capacities, diversified their plants and increased production line efficiency.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/less-than-1-fully-vaccinated-may-get-a-breakthrough-covid-infection-report-402550" hreflang="en">Less than 1% fully vaccinated may get a ‘breakthrough’ Covid infection: Report</a>

"In a normal market situation, this would lead to a decreased price, not an increasing price.

"We have a market where the demand is very high in comparison with production.

"WHO urges companies to keep prices down and affordable prices."

Half of the EU population has now been fully vaccinated, according to an AFP tally from official sources.

The World Health Organization on Wednesday urged COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers to keep their prices low and affordable, after reports that two producers will raise the cost they are charging the EU.

The World Health Organization on Wednesday urged COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers to keep their prices low and affordable, after reports that two producers will raise the cost they are charging the EU. Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are upping the prices for their messenger RNA vaccines because they have adapted them to the new virus variants, according to reports. Also read | WHO calls for moratorium on booster shots as China curbs travel The Pfizer vaccine will jump from 15.5 euros to 19.5 euros ($18.35 to $23) and Moderna from 19 euros to 21.5 euros ($22.5 to $25.45), British newspaper the Financial Times revealed Sunday, citing the contract concluded with the European Union. Mariangela Simao, the WHO assistant director general for access to medicines, vaccines and pharmaceuticals, told a press conference on Wednesday: "It's very important that we have companies state policies of affordable prices." She said both Pfizer and Moderna had increased their manufacturing capacities, diversified their plants and increased production line efficiency. Also read | Less than 1% fully vaccinated may get a ‘breakthrough’ Covid infection: Report "In a normal market situation, this would lead to a decreased price, not an increasing price. "We have a market where the demand is very high in comparison with production. "WHO urges companies to keep prices down and affordable prices." Half of the EU population has now been fully vaccinated, according to an AFP tally from official sources.

WHO urges Covid vaccine makers to keep prices down

The WHO called Wednesday for a moratorium on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a> vaccine booster shots as China tightened overseas travel curbs after recording its highest number of infections in months, while Tokyo reported the Olympic Games' first cluster.

The World Health Organization said halting booster shots until at least the end of September would help ease the drastic inequity in dose distribution between rich and poor nations.

World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the move would help towards the goal of enabling "at least 10 percent of the population of every country to be vaccinated".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/must-debunk-fake-news-myths-on-breast-feeding-causing-covid-19-402903" hreflang="en">‘Must debunk fake news, myths on breast-feeding causing COVID-19'&nbsp;</a>

The coronavirus pandemic has killed at least 4,247,231 people worldwide since the virus first emerged in late 2019, according to an AFP compilation of official data.&nbsp;

The US is the worst-affected country with 614,295 deaths, followed by Brazil with 558,432 and India with 425,757.

First Olympic cluster

The Olympic Games, which went ahead despite a rise in cases in Japan, reported that all 12 members of the Greek artistic swimming team had entered isolation after five tested positive for coronavirus.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-infection-impacts-intelligence-levels-in-recovered-patients-study-402793" hreflang="en">Coronavirus infection impacts intelligence levels in recovered patients: Study</a>

The team have withdrawn from remaining competition and the seven members who have so far tested negative have agreed to move to a facility for "close contacts" of positive cases, Tokyo 2020 spokesman Masa Takaya said.

"We pray for their swift recovery," Takaya said, adding that it was the first "cluster" discovered at the Games.

So far, Tokyo 2020 has reported 322 positive virus cases among its "stakeholders" including athletes, officials and media. Most of the positive cases have been among Japanese residents working as employees or contractors.

The movement of people is coming under more restrictions inside China -- with localised transport closures and stay-at-home orders in places in some cities -- as well as beyond China's borders.

China's immigration authority on Wednesday announced it would stop issuing ordinary passports and other documents needed for exiting the country in "non-essential and non-emergency" cases.

However the authorities have pulled back from issuing a blanket ban on overseas travel.

Immigration official Liu Haitao told a press briefing that those who "have real needs for studying abroad, employment and business" will still have their documents issued upon verification.

China had previously boasted of its success in crushing COVID-19, with hard lockdowns in the early stages mixed with tight controls of its borders, but mass testing campaigns have uncovered Delta variant infections across the country.

The latest outbreak is threatening to undo the country's economic rebound and return to normal life, with nearly 500 domestic cases reported since mid-July.

Iran infections surge

Covid infections in Iran have surged, hitting a new one-day record for a third straight day Wednesday and taking total cases to more than four million.

Iran registered 39,357 new cases in the 24 hours, taking it total to 4,019,084, the health ministry said.

It recorded 409 deaths over the same period, taking the country's total to 92,194.

The official figures are widely believed to underestimate the real toll but even they make Iran the Middle East country worst hit by the pandemic.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday ordered that "necessary measures" be taken to contain what the government warns is a "fifth wave" of the country's outbreak.

Indonesia toll rising

Indonesia's coronavirus death toll topped 100,000 on Wednesday as the country struggles to control the spread of the Delta variant.

Southeast Asia's biggest economy has now detected Delta in dozens of regions since it was first found in the archipelago in June.

Scores of Indonesians are dying at home, unable to access hospital care or medical oxygen supplies as health care facilities are stretched to the limit.

More than 3.5 million infections have been recorded to date though official figures are widely believed to be an underestimate.

"The deaths happened... mainly because of lateness to recognise the severity of the symptoms and to refer patients," said COVID-19 taskforce spokeswoman Siti Nadia Tarmizi.&nbsp;

The WHO called Wednesday for a moratorium on COVID-19 vaccine booster shots as China tightened overseas travel curbs after recording its highest number of infections in months, while Tokyo reported the Olympic Games' first cluster.

The WHO called Wednesday for a moratorium on COVID-19 vaccine booster shots as China tightened overseas travel curbs after recording its highest number of infections in months, while Tokyo reported the Olympic Games' first cluster. The World Health Organization said halting booster shots until at least the end of September would help ease the drastic inequity in dose distribution between rich and poor nations. World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the move would help towards the goal of enabling "at least 10 percent of the population of every country to be vaccinated". Also read | ‘Must debunk fake news, myths on breast-feeding causing COVID-19' The coronavirus pandemic has killed at least 4,247,231 people worldwide since the virus first emerged in late 2019, according to an AFP compilation of official data. The US is the worst-affected country with 614,295 deaths, followed by Brazil with 558,432 and India with 425,757. First Olympic cluster The Olympic Games, which went ahead despite a rise in cases in Japan, reported that all 12 members of the Greek artistic swimming team had entered isolation after five tested positive for coronavirus. Also read | Coronavirus infection impacts intelligence levels in recovered patients: Study The team have withdrawn from remaining competition and the seven members who have so far tested negative have agreed to move to a facility for "close contacts" of positive cases, Tokyo 2020 spokesman Masa Takaya said. "We pray for their swift recovery," Takaya said, adding that it was the first "cluster" discovered at the Games. So far, Tokyo 2020 has reported 322 positive virus cases among its "stakeholders" including athletes, officials and media. Most of the positive cases have been among Japanese residents working as employees or contractors. The movement of people is coming under more restrictions inside China -- with localised transport closures and stay-at-home orders in places in some cities -- as well as beyond China's borders. China's immigration authority on Wednesday announced it would stop issuing ordinary passports and other documents needed for exiting the country in "non-essential and non-emergency" cases. However the authorities have pulled back from issuing a blanket ban on overseas travel. Immigration official Liu Haitao told a press briefing that those who "have real needs for studying abroad, employment and business" will still have their documents issued upon verification. China had previously boasted of its success in crushing COVID-19, with hard lockdowns in the early stages mixed with tight controls of its borders, but mass testing campaigns have uncovered Delta variant infections across the country. The latest outbreak is threatening to undo the country's economic rebound and return to normal life, with nearly 500 domestic cases reported since mid-July. Iran infections surge Covid infections in Iran have surged, hitting a new one-day record for a third straight day Wednesday and taking total cases to more than four million. Iran registered 39,357 new cases in the 24 hours, taking it total to 4,019,084, the health ministry said. It recorded 409 deaths over the same period, taking the country's total to 92,194. The official figures are widely believed to underestimate the real toll but even they make Iran the Middle East country worst hit by the pandemic. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday ordered that "necessary measures" be taken to contain what the government warns is a "fifth wave" of the country's outbreak. Indonesia toll rising Indonesia's coronavirus death toll topped 100,000 on Wednesday as the country struggles to control the spread of the Delta variant. Southeast Asia's biggest economy has now detected Delta in dozens of regions since it was first found in the archipelago in June. Scores of Indonesians are dying at home, unable to access hospital care or medical oxygen supplies as health care facilities are stretched to the limit. More than 3.5 million infections have been recorded to date though official figures are widely believed to be an underestimate. "The deaths happened... mainly because of lateness to recognise the severity of the symptoms and to refer patients," said COVID-19 taskforce spokeswoman Siti Nadia Tarmizi.

WHO calls for moratorium on booster shots as China curbs travel

According to reports, health authorities in Lahore have detected five cases of Epsilon coronavirus strain in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-19-crisis-india-considering-health-restrictions-on-travellers-from-pakistan-402441">Pakistan's</a> Punjab province.

The virus strain B.1.429 which was first detected in California is reportedly resistant to coronavirus vaccines.

US Centre of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had earlier categorised the strain as “variants of concern” due to a surge in cases in California.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/hotel-owners-shopkeepers-in-pakistans-karachi-protest-against-partial-lockdown-402527/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The World Health Organization(WHO) had listed the Epsilon as a "variant of interest" in March. It is reportedly present in at least 34 countries around the world.

Epsilon variant, also known as CAL.20C reportedly relies on "indirect and unusual neutralisation escape strategy", according to a science journal.

On Saturday, officials had ordered a partial lockdown in Karachi for a week due to a surge in COVID-19 cases with hospitalisations increasing in the city.

Karachi's virus positivity rate has reached 25 per cent as Pakistan's vaccination drive continues to struggle with just 5.9 million people fully vaccinated in a population of 220 million.

Pakistan authorities had banned staff from entering public offices, schools and restaurants without vaccination certificates. The country has been hit by the highly transferable Delta variant.

On Saturday, Pakistan had reported 4,950 new coronavirus cases with 65 deaths in the 24 hours.

(With inputs from Agencies)

&nbsp;

According to reports, health authorities in Lahore have detected five cases of Epsilon coronavirus strain in Pakistan's Punjab province. The virus strain B.1.429 which was first detected in California is reportedly resistant to coronavirus vaccines.

According to reports, health authorities in Lahore have detected five cases of Epsilon coronavirus strain in Pakistan's Punjab province. The virus strain B.1.429 which was first detected in California is reportedly resistant to coronavirus vaccines. US Centre of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had earlier categorised the strain as “variants of concern” due to a surge in cases in California. Watch: The World Health Organization(WHO) had listed the Epsilon as a "variant of interest" in March. It is reportedly present in at least 34 countries around the world. Epsilon variant, also known as CAL.20C reportedly relies on "indirect and unusual neutralisation escape strategy", according to a science journal. On Saturday, officials had ordered a partial lockdown in Karachi for a week due to a surge in COVID-19 cases with hospitalisations increasing in the city. Karachi's virus positivity rate has reached 25 per cent as Pakistan's vaccination drive continues to struggle with just 5.9 million people fully vaccinated in a population of 220 million. Pakistan authorities had banned staff from entering public offices, schools and restaurants without vaccination certificates. The country has been hit by the highly transferable Delta variant. On Saturday, Pakistan had reported 4,950 new coronavirus cases with 65 deaths in the 24 hours. (With inputs from Agencies)

Coronavirus in Pakistan: What is the Epsilon strain?

The Delta variant of&nbsp;COVID-19 is a warning to the world to&nbsp;suppress&nbsp;the virus quickly&nbsp;before&nbsp;it mutates again into something even worse, the&nbsp;WHO&nbsp;said Friday.

The highly-transmissible variant, first detected in India, has now surfaced in 132 countries and territories, the World Health Organization said.

"Delta is a warning: it's a warning that the virus is evolving but it is also a call to&nbsp;action&nbsp;that we need to move now&nbsp;before&nbsp;more dangerous&nbsp;variants&nbsp;emerge," the&nbsp;WHO's emergencies director Michael Ryan told a press conference.

WHO&nbsp;chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus added: "So far, four&nbsp;variants&nbsp;of concern have emerged -- and there will be more as long as the virus continues to spread."

Tedros said that on average, infections increased by 80 percent over the past four weeks in five of the six&nbsp;WHO&nbsp;regions.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tunisian-presidency-sacks-head-of-national-tv-channel-401347">Also read |&nbsp;Tunisian presidency sacks head of national TV channel</a>

Though Delta has shaken many countries, Ryan said proven measures to bring transmission under control still worked -- notably physical distancing, wearing masks, hand hygiene and avoiding long periods indoors in poorly ventilated, busy places.

"They are stopping the Delta strain, especially when you add in vaccination," he said.

"The virus has got fitter, the virus has got faster. The game plan still works, but we need to implement and execute our game plan much more efficiently and much more effectively then we've ever done&nbsp;before."

Price of vaccine inequity

The UN health agency has consistently called for vaccines to be distributed evenly around the world and has branded the drastic imbalance a "moral outrage".

More than four billion doses of&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;vaccines have now been administered globally, according to an AFP count.

In countries categorised as high income by the World Bank, 98 doses per 100 people have been injected.

That figure drops to 1.6 per 100 in the 29 lowest-income countries.

If the four billion doses had been administered equally to people aged over 60, "we basically could have gotten two doses into everybody at highest risk of severe consequences when we got to a strain like Delta", said Bruce Aylward, the&nbsp;WHO's frontman on the Covax scheme which aims to get donor-funded jabs to poorer countries.

Instead, those nations, "in the face of the Delta variant -- they're going to pay a very, very different price as a result".

'No magical solutions'

The&nbsp;WHO&nbsp;wants every country to have vaccinated at least 10 percent of its population by the end of September; at least 40 percent by the end of this year, and 70 percent by the middle of 2022.&nbsp;

"We are a long way off achieving those targets," Tedros lamented.&nbsp;

He said that just over half of the 194&nbsp;WHO&nbsp;member states have fully vaccinated 10 percent of their population; less than a quarter have vaccinated 40 percent; and only three countries have vaccinated 70 percent.

Meanwhile the&nbsp;WHO&nbsp;says Burundi, Eritrea and North Korea are the only remaining member states yet to start&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;vaccination campaigns.

The novel coronavirus has killed at least 4.2 million people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, while nearly 196.6 million cases have been registered, according to tallies from official sources compiled by AFP.&nbsp;

Tedros said that on current rates of infection, the 200 million known infections mark will be surpassed within the next two weeks, although the true figure will be much higher.

"There are no magical solutions," said Ryan. "The only magic dust we have is vaccination. The problem is we're not sprinkling that evenly around the world and we are working against ourselves."

The Delta variant of COVID-19 is a warning to the world to suppress the virus quickly before it mutates again into something even worse, the WHO said Friday. The highly-transmissible variant, first detected in India, has now surfaced in 132 countries and territories, the World Health Organization said.

The Delta variant of COVID-19 is a warning to the world to suppress the virus quickly before it mutates again into something even worse, the WHO said Friday. The highly-transmissible variant, first detected in India, has now surfaced in 132 countries and territories, the World Health Organization said. "Delta is a warning: it's a warning that the virus is evolving but it is also a call to action that we need to move now before more dangerous variants emerge," the WHO's emergencies director Michael Ryan told a press conference. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus added: "So far, four variants of concern have emerged -- and there will be more as long as the virus continues to spread." Tedros said that on average, infections increased by 80 percent over the past four weeks in five of the six WHO regions. Also read | Tunisian presidency sacks head of national TV channel Though Delta has shaken many countries, Ryan said proven measures to bring transmission under control still worked -- notably physical distancing, wearing masks, hand hygiene and avoiding long periods indoors in poorly ventilated, busy places. "They are stopping the Delta strain, especially when you add in vaccination," he said. "The virus has got fitter, the virus has got faster. The game plan still works, but we need to implement and execute our game plan much more efficiently and much more effectively then we've ever done before." Price of vaccine inequity The UN health agency has consistently called for vaccines to be distributed evenly around the world and has branded the drastic imbalance a "moral outrage". More than four billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines have now been administered globally, according to an AFP count. In countries categorised as high income by the World Bank, 98 doses per 100 people have been injected. That figure drops to 1.6 per 100 in the 29 lowest-income countries. If the four billion doses had been administered equally to people aged over 60, "we basically could have gotten two doses into everybody at highest risk of severe consequences when we got to a strain like Delta", said Bruce Aylward, the WHO's frontman on the Covax scheme which aims to get donor-funded jabs to poorer countries. Instead, those nations, "in the face of the Delta variant -- they're going to pay a very, very different price as a result". 'No magical solutions' The WHO wants every country to have vaccinated at least 10 percent of its population by the end of September; at least 40 percent by the end of this year, and 70 percent by the middle of 2022. "We are a long way off achieving those targets," Tedros lamented. He said that just over half of the 194 WHO member states have fully vaccinated 10 percent of their population; less than a quarter have vaccinated 40 percent; and only three countries have vaccinated 70 percent. Meanwhile the WHO says Burundi, Eritrea and North Korea are the only remaining member states yet to start COVID-19 vaccination campaigns. The novel coronavirus has killed at least 4.2 million people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, while nearly 196.6 million cases have been registered, according to tallies from official sources compiled by AFP. Tedros said that on current rates of infection, the 200 million known infections mark will be surpassed within the next two weeks, although the true figure will be much higher. "There are no magical solutions," said Ryan. "The only magic dust we have is vaccination. The problem is we're not sprinkling that evenly around the world and we are working against ourselves."

WHO urges action to suppress COVID-19 before deadlier variants emerge

World Health Organisation said on Thursday that Delta variant was behind the "surge" in coronavirus outbreak in West Asia. This has triggered a "fourth wave", it said. Vaccination rates remain low in the region.

WHO said that the highly transmissible Delta variant has been recorded in 15 out of 22 countries and territories of the region from Morocco to Pakistan.

"The circulation of the Delta variant is fuelling the surge in Covid-19 cases and deaths in an increasing number of countries in WHO's Eastern Mediterranean Region," it said in a statement.

"Most of the new cases and hospitalised patients are unvaccinated people. &nbsp;We are now in the fourth wave of Covid-19 across the region," said Ahmed al-Mandhari, director of WHO's Eastern Mediterranean region.

As of the last week of July, "only 41 million people, or 5.5 percent, of the region's population, had been fully vaccinated," the WHO said.

There is an increase in infections by 55 per cent. Deaths have risen by 15 per cent. More than 310,000 case and 3,500 deaths have been recorded weekly.

Countries such as Tunisia, which has suffered the biggest number of Covid-19 deaths in North Africa, have been struggling to contain the outbreak.

Critical shortages of oxygen tanks and intensive care beds have stretched the capacities of healthcare systems regionally.

WHO noted the rapid spread of the Delta variant was quickly making it "the dominant strain" in the region.

According to a recent paper in the journal Virological, the amount of virus found in the first tests of patients with the Delta variant was 1,000 times higher than patients in the first wave of the virus in 2020, greatly increasing its contagiousness.

(With inputs from agencies)

World Health Organisation said on Thursday that Delta variant was behind the "surge" in coronavirus outbreak in West Asia. This has triggered a "fourth wave", it said.

World Health Organisation said on Thursday that Delta variant was behind the "surge" in coronavirus outbreak in West Asia. This has triggered a "fourth wave", it said. Vaccination rates remain low in the region. WHO said that the highly transmissible Delta variant has been recorded in 15 out of 22 countries and territories of the region from Morocco to Pakistan. "The circulation of the Delta variant is fuelling the surge in Covid-19 cases and deaths in an increasing number of countries in WHO's Eastern Mediterranean Region," it said in a statement. "Most of the new cases and hospitalised patients are unvaccinated people. We are now in the fourth wave of Covid-19 across the region," said Ahmed al-Mandhari, director of WHO's Eastern Mediterranean region. As of the last week of July, "only 41 million people, or 5.5 percent, of the region's population, had been fully vaccinated," the WHO said. There is an increase in infections by 55 per cent. Deaths have risen by 15 per cent. More than 310,000 case and 3,500 deaths have been recorded weekly. Countries such as Tunisia, which has suffered the biggest number of Covid-19 deaths in North Africa, have been struggling to contain the outbreak. Critical shortages of oxygen tanks and intensive care beds have stretched the capacities of healthcare systems regionally. WHO noted the rapid spread of the Delta variant was quickly making it "the dominant strain" in the region. According to a recent paper in the journal Virological, the amount of virus found in the first tests of patients with the Delta variant was 1,000 times higher than patients in the first wave of the virus in 2020, greatly increasing its contagiousness. (With inputs from agencies)

West Asia virus surge due to Delta variant: WHO

The World Health Organization reported&nbsp;that the Delta variant is causing a surge in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus</a> outbreaks,&nbsp;triggering a "fourth wave"&nbsp;in the Middle East where <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">vaccination rates</a> are low.

From Morocco to Pakistan, 15 of the 22 territories and countries under the purview of the global health body have been infected with the highly transmissible strain.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-deaths-surge-by-21-cases-can-exceed-200-million-in-two-weeks-who-401228">Coronavirus deaths surge by 21% , cases can exceed 200 million in two weeks: WHO</a>

"The circulation of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/delta-is-the-fastest-covid-19-variant-and-will-pick-off-the-most-vulnerable-who-393278">Delta variant</a> is fuelling the surge in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a> cases and deaths in an increasing number of countries in WHO's Eastern Mediterranean Region," it said in a statement.

Comparing last month to the previous month, infection rates soared by 55 per cent, while mortality rates surged by 15 per cent. Weekly, the number of cases has exceeded 310,000 and the death toll has reached 3,500.

The WHO noted that the Delta variant was quickly becoming "the dominant strain" in the region due to its rapid spread.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/delta-variant-now-in-three-chinese-provinces-401421">Delta variant now in three Chinese provinces</a>

Among the newly hospitalized and newly diagnosed are many people unvaccinated against COVID-19. In this region, the virus is approaching its fourth wave, noted Ahmed al-Mandhari, WHO's Eastern Mediterranean region director.

As of the last week of July, the WHO reports that only 41 million people, or merely 5.5 per cent of the region's population, were fully vaccinated.

The regional healthcare system has been forced to stretch its resources due to a critical shortage of oxygen tanks and intensive care beds.

North African countries like Tunisia, which have seen the most COVID-19 deaths, are struggling with containing the outbreak.

The amount of virus found in the first samples of Delta variant patients was 1,000 times higher than the samples taken from patients in the first wave of the virus in 2020, making it far more contagious., according to an article published in the journal Virological.

(With inputs from agencies)

The World Health Organization reported that the Delta variant is causing a surge in coronavirus outbreaks, triggering a "fourth wave" in the Middle East where vaccination rates are low.

The World Health Organization reported that the Delta variant is causing a surge in coronavirus outbreaks, triggering a "fourth wave" in the Middle East where vaccination rates are low. From Morocco to Pakistan, 15 of the 22 territories and countries under the purview of the global health body have been infected with the highly transmissible strain. Also read | Coronavirus deaths surge by 21% , cases can exceed 200 million in two weeks: WHO "The circulation of the Delta variant is fuelling the surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths in an increasing number of countries in WHO's Eastern Mediterranean Region," it said in a statement. Comparing last month to the previous month, infection rates soared by 55 per cent, while mortality rates surged by 15 per cent. Weekly, the number of cases has exceeded 310,000 and the death toll has reached 3,500. The WHO noted that the Delta variant was quickly becoming "the dominant strain" in the region due to its rapid spread. Also read | Delta variant now in three Chinese provinces Among the newly hospitalized and newly diagnosed are many people unvaccinated against COVID-19. In this region, the virus is approaching its fourth wave, noted Ahmed al-Mandhari, WHO's Eastern Mediterranean region director. As of the last week of July, the WHO reports that only 41 million people, or merely 5.5 per cent of the region's population, were fully vaccinated. The regional healthcare system has been forced to stretch its resources due to a critical shortage of oxygen tanks and intensive care beds. North African countries like Tunisia, which have seen the most COVID-19 deaths, are struggling with containing the outbreak. The amount of virus found in the first samples of Delta variant patients was 1,000 times higher than the samples taken from patients in the first wave of the virus in 2020, making it far more contagious., according to an article published in the journal Virological. (With inputs from agencies)

World Health Organization blames Delta variant for Middle East virus surge

A major influx of vaccination doses is expected to come through for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covax-delivers-over-20-million-doses-to-20-nations-368420">Covax</a> over the coming months, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). 250 million doses of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">COVID-19 vaccine</a> will be donated within six to eight weeks, it said.

With more than 152 million doses distributed thus far to 137 participating territories, the scheme aims to provide vaccines to poorer countries, and the inflow of doses will be a major boost.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-distribute-80-million-vaccine-doses-through-covax-india-included-in-list-white-house-389263">US to distribute 80 million vaccine doses through Covax; India included in list: White House</a>

In a weekly operational update issued Wednesday, the WHO said that at a recent UN Crisis Management Team meeting that there will be increased vaccine donations to the Covax facility, projecting an additional 250 million vaccines over the next six to eight weeks".

Covax is a vaccine distribution programme co-led by the World Health Organization, the Gavi vaccine alliance and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, with UNICEF handling the vaccine delivery flights through its vaccine logistics expertise.

92 of the world's poorest countries can get vaccinations free of charge through Covax, the cost of which is supported by donors.

Plants in India that produced AstraZeneca doses were to be Covax's early backbone, but India restricted exports because of its own devastating Coronavirus outbreak.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/give-at-least-50-of-vaccine-doses-to-covax-programme-who-390032">Give at least 50% of vaccine doses to Covax programme: WHO</a>

Consequently, Covax is increasingly dependent on donations from wealthy countries, that have purchased more batches than they need.

Gavi chief executive Seth Berkley emphasized the importance of higher vaccine coverage everywhere in order to protect the most vulnerable against the emergence of new disease variants. He stated that global vaccine demand and supply are far imbalanced, leaving millions unprotected.

Inequity surrounding vaccines

Several countries have begun vaccinating children and giving additional booster vaccinations to it's citizens, while others have so far not been able to vaccinate their health care workers and elderly, who are most at risk of acquiring serious diseases.

It is a matter of grave concern to the WHO that rich and poor nations have starkly different access to COVID-19 vaccines.

To provide full protection, most Covid vaccines require two shots.&nbsp; Among high-income countries, as classified by the World Bank, 96.7 doses have been administered per 100 residents.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/united-states-donates-153-million-johnson-johnson-vaccines-to-nepal-397680">United States donates 1.53 million Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccines to Nepal</a>

In the 29 lowest-income countries, the average dose per 100 people is only 1.6.

On Wednesday, Tanzania was expected to begin rolling out vaccinations, leaving only Burundi, Eritrea and North Korea without COVID-19 immunization campaigns.

Covax delivered over a million single-shot vaccines donated by the United States to Tanzania on Saturday.

A total of 610 million doses are expected to be donated to Covax between 2021 and 2022.

The United States accounts for 260 million of those, while the European Union accounts for 200 million, Britain accounts for 80 million, and Canada and Japan account for about 30 million each.

(With inputs from agencies)

A major influx of vaccination doses is expected to come through for Covax over the coming months, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). 250 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine will be donated within six to eight weeks, it said.

A major influx of vaccination doses is expected to come through for Covax over the coming months, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). 250 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine will be donated within six to eight weeks, it said. With more than 152 million doses distributed thus far to 137 participating territories, the scheme aims to provide vaccines to poorer countries, and the inflow of doses will be a major boost. Also read | US to distribute 80 million vaccine doses through Covax; India included in list: White House In a weekly operational update issued Wednesday, the WHO said that at a recent UN Crisis Management Team meeting that there will be increased vaccine donations to the Covax facility, projecting an additional 250 million vaccines over the next six to eight weeks". Covax is a vaccine distribution programme co-led by the World Health Organization, the Gavi vaccine alliance and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, with UNICEF handling the vaccine delivery flights through its vaccine logistics expertise. 92 of the world's poorest countries can get vaccinations free of charge through Covax, the cost of which is supported by donors. Plants in India that produced AstraZeneca doses were to be Covax's early backbone, but India restricted exports because of its own devastating Coronavirus outbreak. Also read | Give at least 50% of vaccine doses to Covax programme: WHO Consequently, Covax is increasingly dependent on donations from wealthy countries, that have purchased more batches than they need. Gavi chief executive Seth Berkley emphasized the importance of higher vaccine coverage everywhere in order to protect the most vulnerable against the emergence of new disease variants. He stated that global vaccine demand and supply are far imbalanced, leaving millions unprotected. Inequity surrounding vaccines Several countries have begun vaccinating children and giving additional booster vaccinations to it's citizens, while others have so far not been able to vaccinate their health care workers and elderly, who are most at risk of acquiring serious diseases. It is a matter of grave concern to the WHO that rich and poor nations have starkly different access to COVID-19 vaccines. To provide full protection, most Covid vaccines require two shots. Among high-income countries, as classified by the World Bank, 96.7 doses have been administered per 100 residents. Also read | United States donates 1.53 million Johnson & Johnson vaccines to Nepal In the 29 lowest-income countries, the average dose per 100 people is only 1.6. On Wednesday, Tanzania was expected to begin rolling out vaccinations, leaving only Burundi, Eritrea and North Korea without COVID-19 immunization campaigns. Covax delivered over a million single-shot vaccines donated by the United States to Tanzania on Saturday. A total of 610 million doses are expected to be donated to Covax between 2021 and 2022. The United States accounts for 260 million of those, while the European Union accounts for 200 million, Britain accounts for 80 million, and Canada and Japan account for about 30 million each. (With inputs from agencies)

Covax expects 250 million donated doses in six to eight weeks: WHO

The WHO this month proposed a second phase of studies into the origins of the coronavirus in China, including audits of laboratories and markets in the city of Wuhan, calling for transparency from authorities. But China has opposed this move. The first known cases emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019. The virus was believed to have jumped to humans from animals being sold for food at a city market.

China opposes the second probe into origins of Coronavirus

White House has called Chinese opposition to a World Health Organization probe into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic as "irresponsible" and "dangerous." This comes after Beijing strongly criticised a request by the WHO to audit labs in areas where the first coronavirus cases were identified, including the Chinese city of Wuhan.

White House condemns China's opposition to probe into COVID-19 origins

China has rejected World Health Organization's (WHO) plan for the second phase of the probe into COVID-19 origins. China's Deputy Health Minister Zeng Yixin said the plan "disregards common sense and defies science".

China rejects WHO probe plan on Covid origin

Head of the WHO Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has backed the staging of the Tokyo Olympics. She told International Olympic Committee (IOC) members that the Games should go ahead to show what can be done with the correct COVID safeguards.

WHO Chief Dr Tedros backs Tokyo games amid pandemic

The World Health Organisation has said that the second stage of an investigation into COVID-19 origin should include further studies in China and lab 'audits'. Watch this report to know more.

COVID-19's probe to include audits of laboratories in China

The World Health Organisation is singing a new tune. WHO Chief Dr Tedros says it was premature to rule out the possibility of a lab leak and wants China to be more transparent on the origins of the Wuhan virus.

Gravitas: WHO wants "more transparency from China", won't rule out lab leak

WHO Director General Tedros told reporters that the UN health agency based in Geneva is asking actually China to be transparent, open and cooperate, especially on the information, raw data that we asked for at the early days of the pandemic"

'Lack of credible data over the virus origin', says WHO Chief Tedros

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday&nbsp;that investigations into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic in&nbsp;China&nbsp;were being hampered by the lack of raw data on the first days of spread there and urged it to be more transparent.

A WHO-led team spent four weeks in and around the central city of Wuhan with Chinese researchers and said in a joint report in March that the virus had probably been transmitted from bats to humans through another animal.

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It said that "introduction through a laboratory incident was considered to be an extremely unlikely pathway", but countries including the United States and some scientists were not satisfied.

"We ask&nbsp;China&nbsp;to be transparent and open and to cooperate," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference on Thursday.

"We owe it to the millions who suffered and the millions who died to know what happened," he said.

China&nbsp;has called the theory that the virus may have escaped from a Wuhan laboratory "absurd" and said repeatedly that "politicizing" the issue will hamper investigations.

German Health Minister Jens Spahn, who held talks with Tedros on Thursday, urged&nbsp;China&nbsp;to enable investigations into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic to continue, saying more information was needed.

Tedros will brief WHO's 194 member states on Friday&nbsp;regarding a proposed second phase of study, WHO's top emergency expert Mike Ryan said.

"We look forward to working with our Chinese counterparts on that process and the director-general will outline measures to member states at a meeting tomorrow, on Friday," he told reporters.

Spahn, who was speaking during a visit to the WHO headquarters in Geneva, also announced a 260 million euro ($307 million) donation to WHO's ACT-Accelerator programme, which aims to ensure the entire world, including poorer countries, receive COVID-19 vaccines and tests.

The UN health agency has been facing intensifying pressure for a new, more in-depth investigation of Covid-19's origins.

The WHO only managed to send a team of independent, international experts to Wuhan in January, more than a year after Covid-19 first surfaced there in late 2019, to help probe the pandemic origins.

But in their long-delayed report published in late March, the international team and their Chinese counterparts drew no firm conclusions, instead ranking a number of hypotheses according to how likely they believed they were.

The report said the virus jumping from bats to humans via an intermediate animal was the most probable scenario, while a theory involving the virus leaking from a laboratory was "extremely unlikely".

The investigation and report have faced criticism for lacking transparency and access, and for not evaluating the lab-leak theory more deeply -- a mere 440 words of the report were dedicated to discussing and dismissing it.

Long dismissed as a right-wing conspiracy theory, and vehemently rejected by Beijing, the idea that Covid-19 may have emerged from a lab leak has been gaining increasing momentum in the United States especially.

(With inputs from agencies)

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday that investigations into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic in China were being hampered by the lack of raw data on the first days of spread there and urged it to be more transparent.

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday that investigations into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic in China were being hampered by the lack of raw data on the first days of spread there and urged it to be more transparent. A WHO-led team spent four weeks in and around the central city of Wuhan with Chinese researchers and said in a joint report in March that the virus had probably been transmitted from bats to humans through another animal. It said that "introduction through a laboratory incident was considered to be an extremely unlikely pathway", but countries including the United States and some scientists were not satisfied. "We ask China to be transparent and open and to cooperate," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference on Thursday. "We owe it to the millions who suffered and the millions who died to know what happened," he said. China has called the theory that the virus may have escaped from a Wuhan laboratory "absurd" and said repeatedly that "politicizing" the issue will hamper investigations. German Health Minister Jens Spahn, who held talks with Tedros on Thursday, urged China to enable investigations into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic to continue, saying more information was needed. Tedros will brief WHO's 194 member states on Friday regarding a proposed second phase of study, WHO's top emergency expert Mike Ryan said. "We look forward to working with our Chinese counterparts on that process and the director-general will outline measures to member states at a meeting tomorrow, on Friday," he told reporters. Spahn, who was speaking during a visit to the WHO headquarters in Geneva, also announced a 260 million euro ($307 million) donation to WHO's ACT-Accelerator programme, which aims to ensure the entire world, including poorer countries, receive COVID-19 vaccines and tests. The UN health agency has been facing intensifying pressure for a new, more in-depth investigation of Covid-19's origins. The WHO only managed to send a team of independent, international experts to Wuhan in January, more than a year after Covid-19 first surfaced there in late 2019, to help probe the pandemic origins. But in their long-delayed report published in late March, the international team and their Chinese counterparts drew no firm conclusions, instead ranking a number of hypotheses according to how likely they believed they were. The report said the virus jumping from bats to humans via an intermediate animal was the most probable scenario, while a theory involving the virus leaking from a laboratory was "extremely unlikely". The investigation and report have faced criticism for lacking transparency and access, and for not evaluating the lab-leak theory more deeply -- a mere 440 words of the report were dedicated to discussing and dismissing it. Long dismissed as a right-wing conspiracy theory, and vehemently rejected by Beijing, the idea that Covid-19 may have emerged from a lab leak has been gaining increasing momentum in the United States especially. (With inputs from agencies)

WHO says China should provide raw data on pandemic's origins

In a speech about COVID-19, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Thursday warned, "Unfortunately...we are now in the early stages of a third wave."

"The Delta variant is present in more than 111 countries, and if it isn't already, we expect it to become the main COVID-19 strain circulating worldwide soon," he said.&nbsp;

"The expansion of the Delta variant, together with increased social mobility and inconsistent application of proven public health measures, is driving an increase in both case numbers and deaths," the WHO's chief said.

Last week was the fourth week in a row that COVID-19 instances increased globally, with rises in all but one of the WHO's six regions.

Deaths are also on the rise again, following 10 weeks of steady decline.&nbsp;

Delta plus more transmissible than Delta

Sub-lineages of the Delta variant — AY.1, which is commonly known as the Delta Plus, and AY.2---are unlikely to be more transmissible than the parent, said INSACOG, a consortium of government panels involved in genome sequencing of coronavirus.

These two sub-lineages are also below 1 per cent in the genome samples sequenced in the country in June, it said in a recent bulletin.

INSACOG also said AY.3 has been identified as a new Delta sub-lineage and it is defined by ORF1a: I3731V common AY.1 mutations except for S: K417.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a speech about COVID-19, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Thursday warned, "Unfortunately...we are now in the early stages of a third wave.

In a speech about COVID-19, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Thursday warned, "Unfortunately...we are now in the early stages of a third wave." "The Delta variant is present in more than 111 countries, and if it isn't already, we expect it to become the main COVID-19 strain circulating worldwide soon," he said. "The expansion of the Delta variant, together with increased social mobility and inconsistent application of proven public health measures, is driving an increase in both case numbers and deaths," the WHO's chief said. Last week was the fourth week in a row that COVID-19 instances increased globally, with rises in all but one of the WHO's six regions. Deaths are also on the rise again, following 10 weeks of steady decline. Delta plus more transmissible than Delta Sub-lineages of the Delta variant — AY.1, which is commonly known as the Delta Plus, and AY.2---are unlikely to be more transmissible than the parent, said INSACOG, a consortium of government panels involved in genome sequencing of coronavirus. These two sub-lineages are also below 1 per cent in the genome samples sequenced in the country in June, it said in a recent bulletin. INSACOG also said AY.3 has been identified as a new Delta sub-lineage and it is defined by ORF1a: I3731V common AY.1 mutations except for S: K417. (With inputs from agencies)

COVID-19: WHO warns 'early stages' of third wave is here, amid Delta variant surge

W.H.O has warned against vaccine cocktails, but Angela Merkel and Justin Trudeau have endorsed it. They have even inoculated themselves with different vaccines.

Should you mix and match vaccines?

Weeks after the World Health Organization (WHO) labelled the Delta variant of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus</a> as a "variant of concern", the organisation’s chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had warned about the alarming increase of the ‘highly transmissible' variant.

Tedros warned that the Delta variant has now spread to 104 countries and will soon become the dominant variant of COVID-19 in the world. This will result in a deadly increase in the number of coronavirus infections and deaths.

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/science/covid-19-all-you-need-to-know-about-delta-plus-variant-393450" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/science/covid-19-all-you-need-to-know-about-delta-plus-variant-393450&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwia0Myk1ODxAhVvyzgGHUfWA24QFjAAegQICRAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3UXKMaieyzeR87nNuRMVuX" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/science/covid-19-all-you-need-to-know-about-delta-plus-variant-393450" target="_blank">COVID-19: All you need to know about&nbsp;Delta Plus&nbsp;variant</a>

He also highlighted that the situation is worse in the countries that are struggling to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">vaccinate</a> their citizens, especially the third-world and poor countries.

"My message today is that we are experiencing a worsening public health emergency that further threatens lives, livelihoods and a sound global economic recovery. It is definitely worse in places that have very few vaccines, but the pandemic is not over anywhere," he said in a press briefing.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-chief-scientist-warns-against-mixing-and-matching-different-covid-vaccines-397774" hreflang="en">WHO chief scientist warns against 'mixing and matching' different Covid vaccines</a>

His warning has come as the Covid related deaths have once again started increasing after observing a decline of only 10 days.

"In places with high vaccination coverage, Delta, first detected in India, is spreading quickly, especially infecting unprotected and vulnerable people and steadily putting pressure back on health systems. In countries with low vaccine coverage, the situation is particularly bad," he warned people.

He also stressed that the countries which had managed to stay clear of the first few waves of COVID-19 can also be targeted by the deadly variant. "Even countries that successfully managed to ward off the early waves of the virus, through public health measures alone, are now in the midst of devastating outbreaks," he warned.

Weeks after the World Health Organization (WHO) labelled the Delta variant of coronavirus as a "variant of concern", the organisation’s chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had warned about the alarming increase of the ‘highly transmissible' variant.

Weeks after the World Health Organization (WHO) labelled the Delta variant of coronavirus as a "variant of concern", the organisation’s chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had warned about the alarming increase of the ‘highly transmissible' variant. Tedros warned that the Delta variant has now spread to 104 countries and will soon become the dominant variant of COVID-19 in the world. This will result in a deadly increase in the number of coronavirus infections and deaths. Also read | COVID-19: All you need to know about Delta Plus variant He also highlighted that the situation is worse in the countries that are struggling to vaccinate their citizens, especially the third-world and poor countries. "My message today is that we are experiencing a worsening public health emergency that further threatens lives, livelihoods and a sound global economic recovery. It is definitely worse in places that have very few vaccines, but the pandemic is not over anywhere," he said in a press briefing. Also read | WHO chief scientist warns against 'mixing and matching' different Covid vaccines His warning has come as the Covid related deaths have once again started increasing after observing a decline of only 10 days. "In places with high vaccination coverage, Delta, first detected in India, is spreading quickly, especially infecting unprotected and vulnerable people and steadily putting pressure back on health systems. In countries with low vaccine coverage, the situation is particularly bad," he warned people. He also stressed that the countries which had managed to stay clear of the first few waves of COVID-19 can also be targeted by the deadly variant. "Even countries that successfully managed to ward off the early waves of the virus, through public health measures alone, are now in the midst of devastating outbreaks," he warned.

Delta variant getting more dangerous and can soon be dominant, WHO Chief warns

The UN-backed effort has faltered badly in recent months, with nearly 60 poor countries stalled in their vaccination efforts and their biggest vaccine supplier unable to share any doses until the end of the year.

Rich countries should donate covid vaccines, not use boosters: WHO

The World Health Organisation's chief scientist advised against people mixing and matching COVID-19 vaccines from different manufacturers, calling it a "dangerous trend" since there is limited data available on cocktail vaccines.

WHO warns against mixing and matching COVID-19 vaccines, calls it 'dangerous trend'

The World Health Organization on Friday, July 9, said that there was a "likely causal association" between coronavirus vaccine using mRNA technology and "very rare" heart inflammations.

The World Health Organization on Friday, July 9, said that there was a "likely causal association" between coronavirus vaccine using mRNA technology and "very rare" heart inflammations. However, the benefits still outweigh the risks, added WHO. The UN health body's Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) said that cases of myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart muscle, and pericarditis, inflammation of the lining around the heart, had been reported in multiple countries, especially the US. In a statement, the committee said, "The reported cases have typically occurred within days of vaccination, more commonly among younger males and more often following the second dose of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines". The GACVS has concluded that "current evidence suggests a likely causal association between myocarditis and the mRNA vaccines". Also read | US studying cases of heart inflammation among youngsters who received Covid jabs Most cases of myocarditis and pericarditis following vaccinations were "mild" and required only "conservative" treatment, the committee said. The WHO said the European Medical Agency's pharmacovigilance committee, which tracks medicines' side effects, had also seen a "plausible causal relationship" in a review of the data this week. Myocarditis is a rare disease that experts believe is usually triggered by a virus. Meanwhile, previously, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has asserted heart inflammation among some teenagers and young adults after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. n a statement dated May 17, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices said that many adolescents and young adults who were predominantly male develop myocarditis after the vaccine.

WHO sees 'likely' COVID-19 vaccine link to rare heart inflammation

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