‘Covid-19 is not just seasonal’ cautions WHO

The Covid-19 virus is likely not impacted by the changing seasons like other respiratory diseases, the UN health agency said on Tuesday.

“The season does not seem to be affecting the transmission of this virus,” said Dr Margaret Harris, the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) spokesperson, highlighting many people’s “fixed” belief to the contrary.

“What is affecting the transmission is mass gatherings, people coming together and people not social distancing. People are not taking the precautions to ensure they are not in close contact.”

Globally, WHO reported 16 301 736 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 650 069 deaths by Tuesday morning (Geneva time).

“The season does not seem to be affecting the transmission of this virus currently.

What is affecting the transmission is mass gatherings, it's people coming together, and people not social distancing, not taking the precautions to ensure they are not in close contact.” — @WHO pic.twitter.com/039eDktTlD

— United Nations Geneva (@UNGeneva) July 28, 2020

The Americas remain the epicentre by region with more than 8.7-million cases, followed by Europe with 3.2-million, South-East Asia with 1.8-million, Eastern Mediterranean with 1.5-million, Africa with 712 920 and Western Pacific with 291 993 cases.

Harris said the biggest outbreak “with the most intense and highest numbers” remain the US where it is the middle of summer.

Also read: WHO prepares to mark six months since declaration of Covid-19 as public health emergency

“Brazil also experienced high infection rates, despite being an equatorial country.”

Turning to countries in the global south, Harris noted that winter was underway in these regions, with samples tested, indicating “high” Covid-19 infection rates but low influenza traces.

“From those samples, we are seeing high levels of Covid-19, but we’re not seeing high levels of influenza at the moment. We’re expecting a later flu season in the southern hemisphere.”

Here are 3 ways businesses can survive and thrive through COVID-19 and beyond https://t.co/sVB79vjIbG pic.twitter.com/NzSLJcYPim

— World Economic Forum (@wef) July 29, 2020

The development is in line with WHO’s latest influenza update indicating that globally, influenza activity is currently at lower-than-expected levels.

In temperate areas of the northern hemisphere, influenza activity has “returned to inter-seasonal levels”.

In Caribbean, Central American, South American, tropical African, Southern Asia and South East Asia countries, the WHO bulletin reported that there have been only sporadic or no cases detected.

Assessing the impact on countries finding themselves having to tackle both Covid-19 and influenza at the same time, the WHO spokesperson debated whether a “melange” of respiratory diseases might prove problematic.

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“That would be a concern. An increase in respiratory illness when you already have a very high burden of respiratory illness, will put even more pressure on the health system,” she said.

Harris also pushed back on the perception that a respiratory illness might come and go in several waves.

“A first, second or third wave does not make sense and we’re not really defining it that way.”

Asked about the WHO’s stance on charging for Covid-19 testing, the WHO official explained that this was a decision governed by countries alone.

“We can to encourage all countries to test as it is essential,” she said.

“You don’t know where your outbreak is if you’re not testing people.”

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