The Feb 15 WHO weekly epi update reports relatively stable numbers of COVID-19 deaths across the globe, while there was a near-20 percent decline in new cases (but a 19 percent increase in the Western Pacific region and on a country level, Russia’s cases were up by 23 percent). More than 400 million COVID-19 infections have been recorded since the beginning of the pandemic – it took 155 days to rise from 200 to 300 million cases, but only 34 days to go from 300 to 400 million, according to the Feb 10 Johns Hopkins newsletter.
The WHO update also contains a focus on the BA.2 lineage of Omicron, noting its prevalence ‘appears to be increasing both in countries experiencing a decline in Omicron cases and in countries that are in the growing phase of the wave’. Evidence from limited studies suggest ‘BA.2 is 30% more transmissible than BA.1’ and has a higher secondary attack rate.
Related articles of interest:
- ‘Take a look at SARS-CoV-2's family tree. It's full of surprises’ in the NPR’s blog, Goats and Soda.
- Results from initial trials on vaccines developed for the Omicron variant summarised in the science journal, Nature.
- On the development, testing, manufacturing, and global distribution of COVID-19 vaccines: ‘Why Covid-19 vaccines are a freaking miracle’: STAT News
- Research continues into higher rates of aftereffects following COVID-19 infection suffered by adults aged over 65 years. Read more
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