The World Health organization warned on Thursday against a “fourth wave” of the Covid-19 Delta variant across 15 countries in the Maghreb, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
According to the WHO, the Delta variant, first detected in India, is now present in 15 of the 21 countries of the “Eastern Mediterranean region, extending from Morocco to Pakistan, including Saudi Arabia and Somalia, as well as the Palestinian Territories.
The Delta variant is becoming the dominant variant of the virus in the region, warned the WHO, saying only “5.5% of the region’s population is fully vaccinated.
“Most of the new cases and hospitalized patients are unvaccinated people. We are now experiencing the fourth wave of Covid-19 in this region,” said Ahmed al-Mandhari, head of the Eastern Mediterranean region for WHO.
Infections have increased by 55% and deaths by 15% over a month in the region, which has recorded during the same period more than 310,000 cases and 3,500 deaths per week.
Some countries, such as Tunisia, which has the highest number of deaths in North Africa, are struggling to cope with the surge in infections. Oxygen cylinders are running out in the resuscitation departments, which are overwhelmed.
Delta is 60% more infectious than previous variants, causing countries with previously low levels of infections and mortality to see a soar in cases.
First identified in India, the variant is more dangerous than others, with the first dose of the vaccine unable not offer enough protection to combat infections, leaving people in the interval period between the two doses at risk of catching it.
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