According to Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, Director of Pandemic Preparedness and Response at WHO, data collected from 84 countries shows that the proportion of positive tests for SARS-CoV-2 has increased in recent weeks. In many regions, especially Europe, the rate has exceeded 20%, indicating that the spread of the virus is accelerating again.

More worryingly, WHO health experts say the real numbers could be much higher than official figures. Studies on wastewater monitoring suggest that the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the community could be 20 times higher than what is reflected in test results.

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The surge in COVID-19 cases is not just a rapid spread, but also a risk of new variants of the virus emerging. The WHO warns that as the virus continues to spread and evolve, the possibility of more severe variants emerging is inevitable. These variants could become resistant to current health measures, making it more difficult to control the disease in the future.

“With the current significant levels of transmission, if a more severe variant emerges, the risk to those at high risk of severe disease is significant,” Dr. Van Kerkhove stressed. This is a potential threat to public health, especially when vaccination rates are falling significantly in many countries.

Although current hospitalization rates remain lower than at the height of the pandemic, WHO is urging governments not to be complacent. Accelerating vaccination campaigns, especially for high-risk groups, is an important way to protect communities from a new wave of the disease. WHO recommends that high-risk individuals receive at least one vaccination reminder in the past 12 months to ensure immunity.

A decline in vaccine production over the past 18 months is also a concern. Shortages could reduce the effectiveness of vaccination campaigns and increase the risk of new variants emerging.

The increasing number of COVID-19 cases around the world is a strong reminder that the pandemic is not over. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is still present and continues to pose a threat to public health. Therefore, it is important for individuals to continue to take preventive measures, including vaccination, wearing masks and practicing good personal hygiene, to protect themselves and their communities.