WHO Says Covid Deaths Rose Around The World Last Week
The World Health Organization had sobering news about the pandemic, with activity stable but still high, and deaths rising. News from Australia, where deaths are up in the winter, shows covid is still an ongoing risk. The WHO also warned that denying refugees health care could violate their rights.
CIDRAP:
Global COVID-19 Cases Plateau, But Deaths Rise
Global COVID-19 activity stayed high and largely even last week, as deaths rose, the World Health Organization (WHO) said today in its latest weekly update on the pandemic. (Schnirring, 7/20)
Reuters:
Australia Battles Fresh Omicron Outbreak As COVID Deaths Rise
Australia reported one of its highest daily death tolls from the novel coronavirus on Thursday while hospital admissions hovered near record levels, as authorities struggle to get ahead of highly contagious Omicron variants. The BA.4/5 variants are good at evading immune protection from vaccination or prior infection and have been driving a surge of new infections globally. (7/21)
Reuters:
China's Shenzhen Vows To 'Mobilise All Resources' To Curb COVID Spread
China's southern megacity of Shenzhen vowed to "mobilise all resources" to curb a slowly spreading COVID-19 outbreak, ordering strict implementation of testing and temperature checks, and lockdowns for COVID-affected buildings. Shenzhen, with a population of nearly 18 million, reported 22 new locally transmitted cases for Wednesday, with the daily count creeping up from single digits earlier this month. (Kirton and Liu, 7/21)
And the WHO also addressed health care for refugees —
Reuters:
Denying Refugees And Migrants Healthcare Violates Rights, WHO Says
"Health does not begin or end at a country's border. Migratory status should therefore not be a discriminatory factor but a policy driver on which to build and strengthen healthcare," Santino Severoni, WHO's director of health and migration said in a statement. (7/20)
