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Maria Van Kerkhove Profile picture
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31 Aug, 4 tweets, 3 min read
Short 🧵 on @WHO’s latest #COVID19 Epi update (available now)

Globally, trends continue to be worrying. Plateauing at more than 4.3 million cases each week and around 67k deaths is tragic - there is no easy way to say this.

Full sit rep here
who.int/publications/m…
In our update, we provide more info at regional levels, a summary of VOC geographic distribution and info on a new global classified VOI “Mu” B.1.621.

Some basics of Mu:
➡️1st identified in Colombia in Jan 2021
➡️Has mutations that warrant further study
(keep reading)
➡️Data on Mu has been shread with @WHO Virus Evolution Working Group 🙏
➡️As of 29 Aug, 4.5k sequences of Mu have been uploaded to @GISAID from 39 countries
➡️ Circulation of Mu is ⬇️ globally & < 0.1% of currently shared sequences of Mu, but this needs careful observation
I’ll reiterate⬇️

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More from @mvankerkhove

Maria Van Kerkhove Profile picture
30 Aug
Quick thread on the C.1.2 variant that has been in the news and on twitter today…

First remember that the more the virus spreads the more opportunity it has to change. We have the tools to prevent infections, reduce the spread & save lives - lets use them.

Keep reading…
@WHO has regularly been discussing with South African researchers about theirr work on sequencing throughout the #COVID19 pandemic. 🙏 We are grateful for researchers in 🇿🇦 who first presented their findings on variant C.1.2 to the WHO Virus Evolution Working Group in July ‘21.
Thanks to these scientific collaborations, sharing of sequences & analyses by 🇿🇦(eg ⬇️) & researchers around 🌍🌏🌎, @WHO & partners are able to quickly monitor & assess specific mutations and variants identified & alert the world of any potential risks. medrxiv.org/content/10.110…
Read 7 tweets
Maria Van Kerkhove Profile picture
22 Aug
On Friday, @WHO released a call for membership for the Scientific Advisory Group on the origins of novel pathogens – #SAGO.

I’ve received many messages this weekend (🙏), hence the short🧵but the punch line is: If you’re qualified, please apply.

Here is the call for applications with the details of how to apply, but lets take a closer look at the who, what, where, why and when (in a little different order)…

who.int/news/item/20-0…
What? #SAGO is being established to advise @WHO on developing a global framework to study the origins of emerging and re-emerging pathogens, including but not limited to #SARSCoV2

Remember also SARS, MERS, avian flu, Ebola, Marburg, Lassa, Nipah, Zika, etc … & “Disease X”.
Read 12 tweets
Maria Van Kerkhove Profile picture
9 Aug
Its all in data & analytics… while #COVID19 data is imperfect, its critical to regularly analyze, discuss and tailor our responses as, when and where needed. @WHO 1/11
Cases, hospitalizations, ICU capacities, deaths, risk factors, vaccination status, test +, vaccine efficacy, incidence, trends, transmission, attack rates, impact of interventions, research results, inequity, access, capacities, costs, etc analyzed by 100,000s around 🌎 daily. 2/
For 7 consecutive weeks, cases of #COVID19 have increased and deaths have hovered at around 64-65k/week.

Last week there were, again, >4 million cases reported to @WHO pushing us over a tragic 202,000,000 cases that we know about…Far more cases have occurred worldwide. 3/
Read 11 tweets
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
15 Jul
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….
Read 5 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

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