The World Health Organization (WHO) decided to maintain the COVID-19 pandemic as an international health emergency due to the uncertainties of a possible evolution of the virus.
Almost three years into the pandemic, the organization says the virus could mutate to become more dangerous and evade immunity.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the COVID-19 Emergency Committee met to discuss the global situation, the way forward and that the view was that the virus remains a public health emergency of international concern.
Read: COVID: People who have been locked down since the beginning of the pandemic
Although the global situation has improved since the COVID-19 pandemic began, he said, the virus continues to change and many risks and uncertainties remain.
“Last week, the Emergency Committee on #COVID19 met to discuss the global situation and the way forward. The committee’s view is that COVID-19 remains a public health emergency of international concern, and I agree”-@DrTedros
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) October 19, 2022
He noted that the Committee emphasized the need to strengthen surveillance and expand access to testing, treatment and vaccines for those most at risk.
In particular, he said, countries need to update their national preparedness and response plans.
“This pandemic has surprised us before and it could very well do it again,” the WHO chief said.
As of October 13, 2022, 620,423,965 confirmed cases and 6,541,777 deaths from COVID have been reported worldwide.
To date, cases have been reported in 237 countries, territories and areas, cases have been reported in all six WHO regions.
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