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Maria Van Kerkhove Profile picture
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15 Jul, 5 tweets, 3 min read
Statement on the eighth meeting of the International Health Regulations #IHR (2005) Emergency Committee regarding the coronavirus disease (#COVID19) pandemic @WHO

who.int/news/item/15-0…
The @WHO secretariat highlighted factors driving the current situation including:
➡️variants of concern,
➡️inconsistent application of public health & social measures,
➡️increased social mixing & mobility, &
➡️highly susceptible pop due to lack of equitable vaccine distribution
“The Committee noted that, despite national, regional, and global efforts, the pandemic is nowhere near finished. The pandemic continues to evolve with four variants of concern dominating global epidemiology….
…The Committee recognised the strong likelihood for the emergence and global spread of new and possibly more dangerous variants of concern that may be even more challenging to control. “
Full recommendations to the @WHO Secretariat and to Member States

who.int/news/item/15-0…

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More from @mvankerkhove

Maria Van Kerkhove Profile picture
16 Jul
Today was a really important step forward in work to better understand the origins of #SARSCoV2 & for the emergence of all future novel pathogens of epidemic & pandemic potential…

From the DG @DrTedros speech…

who.int/director-gener…
“Earlier this week, Member States received a circular letter detailing the proposed next steps that the (@WHO) Secretariat will take to advance those studies, in several areas…
“1️⃣ integrated studies of humans, wildlife, captive and farmed animals, and environment, as part of a #OneHealth approach;
Read 11 tweets
Maria Van Kerkhove Profile picture
6 Jul
I’m struggling with how best to stress how fragile the global situation is, so I’ll be blunt:

Each week >2.6 million cases and >53,000 deaths are reported to @WHO

Reported, meaning that there are many others.

Stop and think about that.

(Short thread⬇️)
Compared to last week, there has been about (exact % will be shared in tomorrow @WHO sit rep):
➡️ 15% increases in cases in @WHOAFRO
➡️ 29% increase in @WHO_Europe (last week was 10%⬆️)
➡️ 14% increase in @WHOEMRO
➡️ 7% increased in @WHOSEARO
➡️ 10% increase in @WHOWPRO
There are also increasing trends in deaths in @WHOAFRO, @WHOEMRO, @WHO_Europe & @WHOWPRO.

Every death is a person—a parent, a grandparent, a son, a daughter, a friend—people who are loved, cherished, treasured.

The loss is unbearable. These losses are preventable.
Read 10 tweets
Maria Van Kerkhove Profile picture
17 Jun
NEW publication in Eurosurveillance

Increased transmissibility & global spread of #SARSCoV2 VOC & VOI

Estimated transmissibility increases of alpha 29% (95% CI: 24–33), beta 25% (95% CI: 20–30), gamma 38% (95% CI: 29–48) & delta 97% (95% CI: 76–117)

⬇️
eurosurveillance.org/content/10.280… ImageImageImage
Conclusions: Rapid replacement means that epidemiological assessment of new variants must be conducted quickly and regularly if PHSM are to continue to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2.
Given limitations and inherent delays in detecting emerging variants and investigating their phenotypic impacts, the use and adjustment of PHSM should continue to be informed by traditional epidemiological surveillance.
Read 5 tweets
Maria Van Kerkhove Profile picture
14 Jun
Short 🧵

There is a lot of concern over the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant and there should be. The #SARSCoV2 virus is dangerous, & more transmissible variants are even more dangerous.

(Keep reading…)

@WHO #COVID19
What we know: available analyses show that there is increased transmissibility of delta, more than the ancestral virus, more than alpha variant. We are seeing convergent evolution. Image
There is a suggestion of increased severity, but more info is needed to understand this.

Diagnostics work; many studies are underway related to vaccines, but available results suggest vaccines work against severe disease & death.

@WHO #COVID19
Read 13 tweets
Maria Van Kerkhove Profile picture
31 May
Today, @WHO announces new, easy-to-say labels for #SARSCoV2 Variants of Concern (VOCs) & Interest (VOIs)

They will not replace existing scientific names, but are aimed to help in public discussion of VOI/VOC

Read more here (will be live soon):
who.int/activities/tra…

#COVID19
The labels for VOI/VOC are simple, easy to say & remember & are based on the Greek alphabet, a system that was chosen following wide consultation & a review of several potential systems.

🙏@WHO Virus Evolution Working Group @nextstrain @GISAID Pangolin groups & many others
The labels don’t replace existing scientific names, which convey impt scientific info and will continue to be used in research (& by @nextstrain @GISAID & Pango).

These labels will help with public discussion about VOC/VOI as the numbering system can be difficult to follow.
Read 6 tweets
Maria Van Kerkhove Profile picture
30 May
Short variant thread ⬇️

We expect that more variants will continue to be detected as the virus circulates and evolves and as sequencing capacities are enhanced worldwide.

It’s even more critical we drive down and keep down transmission. @WHO #COVID19
As we have said, each variant identified needs to be properly assessed, which is why WHO established the Virus Evolution Working Group in June 2020, and why there is a Global Monitoring and Assessment Framework for #SARSCoV2 variants, coordinated by @WHO.
Re the report of variant from Vietnam: @WHO 🇻🇳 country office & @WHOWPRO are working w MOH 🇻🇳. The variant detected is B.1.617.2 with an additional mutation(s), but more info soon.

Remember: variants are constellations of mutations. Many VOI/VOC have similar mutations
Read 5 tweets

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