WHO warns of rising COVID-19 cases in the United States, Latin America

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reportedly cautioned about surging COVID-19 cases in Latin America and the United States, a spike that could potentially pose a threat to the entire region.

WHO officials said that as the Delta Coronavirus variant spreads across the Americas, it is deteriorating instability and violence in several countries, especially in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Dr. Carissa Etienne, Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), mentioned that various countries in North America, including the United States, are experiencing a resurgence of infections. The United States and Mexico are witnessing an upsurge in new infections in most states, and many Central American countries are also observing a rise in cases, she added.

Cuba is currently in the middle of political unrests and unusual protests, the largest witnessed in the communist country since the 1990s. This comes at a time when the government is working to contain the Coronavirus outbreak, which is threatening the island's already fragile healthcare system.

The seven-day average of new cases in Cuba has increased by more than fourfold just in the last month, rising to 5,659 from 1,256 a day in mid-June. The mortalities on the small island nation have also surged from approximately 10 a day a month ago to over 32 at present, sources cited.

Etienne further stated that rising violence, instability, and overcrowding in shelters could turn into active hotspots for COVID-19 transmission. Limited resources and violence are also impeding health personnel's ability to provide safe care to patients in need, she added.

PAHO (The Pan American Health Organization) officials are striving to provide vaccines to Haiti, which has yet to start vaccinating its citizens despite receiving 760,000 doses of AstraZeneca's vaccines through the COVAX Facility.

PAHO has also cautioned countries against reopening their economies too early, stating that countries that have effectively prevented initial waves of infection often disregard necessary public health measures such as masks and social distancing, leaving them vulnerable to new outbreaks by variants that may bypass vaccine protection.

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https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/14/covid-cases-are-surging-in-latin-america-and-the-us-who-officials-warn-.html