By Staff Writer
The World Health Organisation, WHO, has warned of a rise in COVID cases around the world, a week away from Samoa re-opening international travel.
The warning includes an advisory to be ready for new variants of the pandemic coronavirus.
Local anticipation is building at travel borders opening again after more than a year of emergency restrictions to protect against the spread of the COVID 19 pandemic.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned about fresh Covid-19 waves during the week.
WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan added caution at mounting evidence that suggests that Omicron sub variants –BA.4 and BA.5 – are infecting people who have been vaccinated against the coronavirus infection.
“We need to be prepared for these COVID19 waves — each new variant will be more transmissible and immune evasive — higher numbers infected will translate into greater hospitalizations and sickness,” Swaminathan declared.
“All countries must have a data driven plan to quickly respond to changing situations.”
Fully booked flights are anticipated, mostly from Samoans in New Zealand and Australia once the home restrictions are lifted starting on 1 August 2022.
The Ministry of Health acting Director General, Tagaloa Dr. Robert Thomsen, assured health protection services will continue with close monitoring of arrivals.
“Random tests for suspected travellers will continue with the process to be reviewed in November,” Tagaloa told the local media last week.
The count on COVID related deaths has stalled at 29 people with mostly the elderly – confirmed cases at just over 15,200 as of the 19 July 2022.
But there are claims from funeral parlors on local media reports that bodies are being transferred from the hospitals with COVID related deaths.
Tagaloa, tried to clarify the official medical diagnosis that even if the person may had COVID but it may have been another health condition that was the official cause of death.
“Our death verification procedure is based on a standardized notification table set by the World Health Organisation.”
The WHO Director General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, told a media conference of concerns at further pressures on stretched health systems and health-care workers at climbing COVID cases.
“The virus is running freely and countries are not effectively managing the disease burden based on their capacity, in terms of both hospitalization for acute cases and the expanding number of people with post Covid-19 condition — often referred to as long-covid.
“New waves of the virus demonstrate again that the Covid-19 is nowhere near over.
“As the virus pushes at us, we must push back,” the WHO chief said.
The Omicron sub variants –BA.4 and BA.5 are yet to reach Samoa.
Samples from COVID virus carriers sent to New Zealand laboratory for tests confirmed only BA.1 and BA.2.
The spread of the contagious Influenza B is a worry but Tagaloa said it is too early to say when it will peak.
He admitted the rate of spread will go up once the travel borders open the same as with COVID.
Heavy rainfall and flooding are a worry as well making it easier for mosquitoes to find places to breed.