01/11/2024

WHO Says COVID Kills Nearly 10,000 in a Month as Holidays Fuel Spread

Although it is no longer a global health emergency, the virus is still circulating

Almost 10,000 coronavirus (COVID-19) deaths were reported in December, and admissions to hospitals and intensive care units surged, World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said — with data indicating that holiday gatherings fueled increased transmission of the virus.

"Although COVID-19 is no longer a global health emergency, the virus is still circulating, changing and killing," Tedros said at a news conference in Geneva on Wednesday.

There was a 42 percent increase in hospitalizations and a 62 percent increase in ICU admissions from the previous month. Trends are based on data reported to the WHO from fewer than 50 countries, mostly in Europe and the Americas, said Tedros, who noted that this is not the full picture.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.