Is the COVID-19 outbreak over? Give a read to this article that is going to guide you in this regard!
Currently, scientists are researching the COVID-19 outbreak and estimating whether its prevalence is over or not. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Most people infected with the virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment.
However, some will become seriously ill and require medical attention. Old-age people and those with health conditions like cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, diabetes, or cancer are more at risk of developing serious illnesses.
Is There a Tracking System Available To Track COVID-19?
In June 2020, the WHO Virus Evolution Working Group was established with a specific focus on SARS-CoV-2 variants, their phenotype, and their impact on countermeasures. It later became the Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution. From May 2021 onwards, WHO began assigning simple, easy-to-say labels for critical variants.
Considerable progress is for establishing and strengthening a global system to detect signals of potential VOIs or VOCs and rapidly assess the risk posed by SARS-CoV-2 variants to public health. It remains critical that these systems are maintained, and data are shared, according to good principles and in a timely fashion, as SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate at high levels worldwide.
While monitoring the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 globally, it also remains essential to monitor their spread in animal populations and chronically infected individuals, which are crucial aspects of the global strategy to reduce the occurrence of mutations that have adverse public health implications.
In March 2023, WHO updated its tracking system and working definitions for variants of concern, variants of interest, and variants under monitoring.
What Is The Global Research On COVID-19 Outbreak According To WHO?
Here is a global research report according to WHO.
Epidemiological update on COVID-19, December 2022
Globally, the number of new weekly cases reported from 12 to 18 December 2022 was similar (+3%) to the previous week, with over 3.7 million new cases reported. The number of new weekly deaths was 6% lower than the last week, with over 10 400 new fatalities reported.
In the last 28 days, there has been a 36% increase and a 2% decline, respectively, compared to the previous 28 days. As of December 2022, over 649 million confirmed cases and over 6.6 million deaths were reported globally.
Epidemiological update on COVID-19, January 2023
Globally, nearly 1.9 million new cases and over 12 000 deaths in the week of 16 to 22 January 2023, and From 26 December 2022 to 22 January 2023, over 11 million patients and over 55 000 new deaths were reported globally. As of January 2023, over 664 million confirmed cases and over 6.7 million deaths were reported globally.
Epidemiological update on COVID-19, February 2023
Globally, around 5.3 million new cases and over 48 000 deaths were reported in the last 28 days (23 January to 19 February 2023), a decrease of 89% and 62%, respectively, compared to the previous 28 days. In February 2023, over 757 million confirmed cases and over 6.8 million deaths were reported globally.
Epidemiological update on COVID-19, March 2023
Nearly 3.6 million new cases and over 25 000 deaths were reported globally. Despite this overall downward trend, it is important to note that several countries reported significant increases in cases. In March 2023, over 761 million confirmed cases and over 6.8 million deaths were reported globally.
Epidemiological update on COVID-19, April 2023
Globally, nearly 2.8 million new cases and over 16 000 deaths were reported in the last 28 days (27 March to 23 April 2023), a decrease of 23% and 36%, respectively. Contrary to the overall trend, increases in reported cases and deaths have continued till yet in the South-East Asia and Eastern Mediterranean regions and several individual countries elsewhere.
As of April 2023, over 764 million confirmed cases and over 6.9 million deaths were reported globally.
Epidemiological update on COVID-19, May 2023
Globally, nearly 2.3 million new cases and about 15 000 deaths were reported in the last 28 days (24 April to 21 May 2023), a decrease of 21% and 17%, respectively, compared to the previous 28 days (27 March to 23 April 2023).
The situation is mainly at the regional level, with increases in reported cases seen in the WHO African and Western Pacific Regions and increases in deaths in the African, the Americas, South-East Asia, and Western Pacific Regions. As of 21 May 2023, over 766 million confirmed cases and over 6.9 million deaths have been reported globally.
What Are Possible Databases Available For Research On COVID-19 Outbreak?
According to WHO, there are the following databases available for its global research.
- preVIEW COVID-19
- ICTRP
- Medline (Ovid)
- Medline (PubMed)
- CAB Abstracts (Ovid)
- Global Health (Ovid)
- PsycINFO (Ovid)
- Scopus (Elsevier)
- Academic Search Complete (Ebsco)
- Africa Wide Information (Ebsco)
- CINAHL (Ebsco)
- ProQuest Central (ProQuest)
- Europe PMC includes PubMed, PubMed Central, Agricola
- PubMed Central
- China CDC MMWR
- CDC Guidelines (US CDC)
- Embase (OVID)
- National Bureau of Economic Research
- Social Science Open Access Repository
- Web of Science
- Science Direct
- Taylor and Francis
- MDPI
- IRIS
FAQ’s
Are there vaccines available for COVID-19?
Some widely known vaccines at that time included those developed by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson. However, the availability and specific vaccines may vary depending on your location and the progress made in vaccine development since then.
When will COVID-19 end?
It is challenging to predict an exact timeline for when COVID-19. It depends on various factors, including vaccination rates, the emergence of new variants, and public health measures. Efforts such as widespread vaccination, testing, contact tracing, and adherence to preventive measures can help control the spread of the virus and eventually lead to a decline in cases. Monitoring updates from health authorities and following their guidelines will provide the most accurate information on the progress of the pandemic.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the WHO has to declare whether a pandemic is over because they consider what’s happening and the number of cases in the rest of the world.
For more details also read this article: Testing COVID-19 With CareStart Covid-19 Antigen Test
