"Due to the spread of the Delta variant, the incidence of coronavirus infection is increasing in most regions of the world, which shows that the pandemic is not decreasing," the chief scientist of the World Health Organization, Soumya Swaminathan, said in an interview with Bloomberg.
While vaccinations in some countries reduce severe cases and hospitalization, the world lacks oxygen equipment, there is a shortage of hospital beds, and mortality is rising.
"In the last 24 hours, about 500 000 new cases have been reported, and about 9 300 people have died. This is not a pandemic that is slowing down," Swaminathan said.
According to WHO, cases are rising in six regions, and mortality in Africa has increased by 30% in two weeks. The reason for this is the rapidly spreading delta variant, the slow pace of vaccination, and the easing of safety measures.
