NEW waves of the coronavirus (Covid-19) have sparked renewed calls for caution and safe health practices.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that Covid-19 remains a global emergency nearly two-and-a-half years after the disease was first declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020.
WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on Wednesday referred to a statement released by the UN health body’s emergency committee of independent experts who said the continued emergency is warranted because of rising cases, ongoing evolution of the coronavirus and pressure on health services in a number of countries.
Cases reported to the WHO had risen by 30 per cent since late June, according to the July 12 statement.
However, the committee acknowledged that increased population immunity had led to a “decoupling” of infections from hospitalisations and deaths.
The surge in cases has been attributed mostly to the BA.4/5 Omicron sub-variants which apparently have been reinfecting people at a record clip, according to reports.
Dr Ghebreyesus said people “must push back with safe and effective tools to prevent infections, hospitalisations and deaths”.
His comments followed the WHO Covid-19 Emergency Committee meeting which concluded that the outbreak remains a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
His views were backed by medics in Bahrain, as the country witnesses a surge in new cases daily, following the Eid Al Adha weekend. The country also registered five Covid-19 deaths in two days, taking the toll for this month to 10.
“In the best interests of all, people should continue wearing masks,” American Mission Hospital internal medicine specialist Dr Anup Abdulla told the GDN.
“If anyone experiences unresolved or unprecedented fever, they should visit a hospital.
“The recent variants of Covid-19 seem more virulent and sensitive than the previous Omicron variant – to the extent that even a “hello” without a mask can do the damage, according to studies.”
Daily cases of infection have been fluctuating in the first five days of the month, reflecting a decline from then on. After almost a month, the numbers fell below 1,000 during the weekend.
Last Saturday saw 980 new cases, followed by 933 the following day. However, numbers rose on the next three days – 1,201 on Monday, 1,322 on Tuesday and 1,694 on Wednesday.
American Mission Hospital pulmonologist Dr Chellaraja Chellasamy testified of a steady surge in patients with upper respiratory infection or flu like symptoms in the past weeks in the hospital’s outpatient department.
“Both influenza and Covid-19 (Omicron) cases have been detected,” he told the GDN.
“The increase in number of cases, although mostly asymptomatic, is still a matter of concern because of the sheer communicability of prevalent strains.
“In most parts of the world it’s BA 2.75, BA.4 and BA.5 variants of Omicron that are leading the wave,” which he said were capable to evade all immunity from both vaccination or prior infection.
“Even though pneumonia or serious morbidities have not been observed, it still leads to work/ school absenteeism and hospital visits.
“So that brings us back to questions of personal protective measures including masks which have been conveniently forgotten in public domain.
“From a physician’s point of view hand hygiene, face masks and vaccine booster shots still hold their place in limiting the spread of Omicron.”
Royal Bahrain Hospital internal medicine specialist Dr Sunil Rao reiterated that the said subvariant (BA.5) has been implicated in the recent surge in infections.
“It has three spike protein mutations that help it escape the immunity gained either by infection or vaccination.
“Masking, ventilation and social distancing therefore form the fundamental prevention strategy.
“Booster dose immunisation is also an effective strategy to prevent a complicated course of this infection as well as the consequences of long covid.”
According to studies, those infected with Omicron had some protection against reinfection for a few months, but the BA.4/5 variants have been found to be strategically evading such built-up defence. This means that reinfections, even in vaccinated and recently infected people, are on the higher side.
It is worth noting that the spike in cases on Monday to Wednesday follows the holiday season.
As of Wednesday, Bahrain recorded 643,672 cases including 10,457 active cases, 631,712 recoveries and 1,503 deaths. There are 40 active cases under hospital care and 17 under critical care.
raji@gdnmedia.bh
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