Sub-variants of Omicron are driving an increase in cases, hospitalizations and deaths around the world, said WHO chief Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus in a weekly COVID-19 briefing.."I am concerned cases of COVID-19 continue to rise, putting further pressure on stretched health systems and health workers," he said..Ghebreyesus urged governments to reinstate public health measures "like masking, improved ventilation and test and treat protocols.".He called the measures listed "tried and tested," a reliable way to protect against COVID-19..Ghebreyesus claimed there's "major disconnect" between scientists, politicians and the public over the risks COVID-19 is still presenting..The WHO's COVID-19 committee concluded late last week the virus "remains a public health emergency of international concern," he said..Though Ghebreyesus recommended governments implement treatment protocols, the WHO lists no treatment recommendations for mild cases of COVID-19 in non high risk individuals..For non-severe COVID-19 infections who are at the highest risk of hospital admissions category, nirmatrelvir and iitonavir, molnupiravir, sotrovimab, remdesivir, casirivimab and imdivimab are weak/conditionally recommended..For severe and critical cases use of corticosteroids, IL-6 receptor blockers and baricitinib have "strong recommendations in favour.".The WHO recommended against the use of ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 in any case.. Visual summary of treatment recommendationsVisual summary of treatment recommendations .The most recent COVID-19 epidemiology update from the Government of Canada, dated July 8, shows weekly change in variants of COVID-19 found in Canada. . Weekly variant sequencing- gov of CanadaCanada's weekly variant breakdown .Canada downsized case reports from daily to weekly..The report shows there's a slight upturn in case trends across the country, but is nowhere near peak numbers in January 2022 or April 2022.. Canada COVID-19 case trendsPhoto courtesy of Government of Canada .The report shows 21,317 cases were recorded in Canada during the week of June 26 to July 2, across a population of more than 38 million people..Public Health Ontario (PHO) changed their reports to not show cases by vaccination status anymore..Since at the end of June 2022, only total case numbers are available on the site in replacement of data showing cases among demographics of unvaccinated, one dose, two doses and three doses..PHO told the Western Standard this information is now excluded because of "testing eligibility changes" that came into place December 2021..PHO said the "case counts are an underestimate of the true number of individuals infected with COVID-19 in Ontario, and case rates by vaccination status would not accurately reflect who is being infected," and commented that many rapid tests are not reported to the organization..Vaccination status will continue to be recorded in the PHO's severe outcomes reports as "rates of hospitalization and death have been higher among unvaccinated compared to vaccinated individuals."."Rates of COVID-19 infection in unvaccinated versus vaccinated individuals provide important information as to how the vaccine is performing, and in particular how well the vaccine prevents severe outcomes," said PHO's statement.
