The WHO Director-General this week said that COVID-19 infections around the globe are providing a ‘mixed picture’ even as ‘new cases of COVID-19 reported to WHO has now declined for six weeks, and deaths have declined for five weeks’. Countries or regions facing ‘an extremely dangerous situation’ include Peru, where a revision of deaths now gives it the highest COVID-19 mortality rate in the world, Malaysia which has seen cases increase by 60 percent over the past fortnight, and in Africa, with four consecutive weeks of increasing case numbers and vaccine supplies for under one percent of the population. Meanwhile in our region, Fiji has now recorded 775 COVID-19 cases since its latest outbreak started in April (and 845 total since Mar 2020). New cases have been reported in existing clusters which include the COVID-19 Incident Management Team and CWM Hospital in Suva.
In related news:
- Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Greece and Poland are the first EU countries to start using the EU Digital COVID Certificate now that the app is live, with remaining nations expected to implement it by July 1. The app provides QR code proof of vaccination (with an EU-approved vaccine) or negative COVID-19 test results/recovery from the illness. Read more
- Along with an overview of the current COVID-19 situation around the globe, the June 8 WHO epi update has a special focus on SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern (VOCs), including updates on emerging evidence surrounding their phenotypic characteristics - transmissibility, disease severity, risk of reinfection, and impacts on diagnostics and vaccine performance. Read more
- The TGA is reported to be considering a Pfizer proposal to approve its Comirnaty vaccine for adolescents aged from 12 to 15 years in Australia; the vaccine is already being used in this age group in the UK and US. Read more
- The current status of vaccines under consideration for Emergency Use Listing by the WHO as of June 3. Read more
- Early studies carried out on mice by Qld scientists have provided promising results for a single subunit vaccine dose delivered by a skin patch. Read more
- An article published in The Conversation addresses a dog’s ability to detect the COVID-19 coronavirus infection by scent – ‘Yes, dogs can sniff out COVID. But not after dinner, when they need a nap’.
Before you travel, call Travelvax Australia’s telephone advisory service on 1300 360 164 (toll-free from landlines) for country-specific advice and information. You can also make an appointment at your nearest Travelvax clinic to obtain vaccinations, medication to prevent or treat illness, and accessories for your journey.