DELTA IS DRIVING THE GLOBAL SURGE, WHO MUST ACT: The delta variant is spreading dangerously fast. First detected in India, the variant has now been recorded in 124 territories — 13 more than last week, World Health Organisation said. There were more than 3.4 million new global COVID-19 cases last week, a 12% increase from the previous week. The highest infections were in Indonesia, UK, Brazil, India and US. A small consolation: The number of deaths is continuing to decline. The increased transmission of the virus is driven by new variant, relaxation of protocols and the large number of people still susceptible to the disease, despite rising vaccination rates in some countries. WHO has urged countries to commit to vaccinating at least 40% of every country’s population by the end of the year. But it can only be possible if the UN agency makes sure vaccines reach the unreached. Until then, follow the protocols. [COMMENT BY: Stephen N R, Senior Associate Editor]
AFP