WHO´s Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press release that hospitalizations went up by 42% in December 2023, compared to November, as well as admissions at ICUs (62%).

Even though Covid-19 is no longer a global health emergency, the virus is still spreading, mutating and killing, Dr. Ghebreyesus said.

He added that data “reflect an increased transmission in December, driven by mass gatherings over the New Eve´s holidays, as well as by the new JN.1 variant which is now the most commonly reported option worldwide.”

In this context, Dr. Ghebreyesus called on governments to keep on alert because, although the number of deaths reported in December 2023 was far from the reached one during the peak of the pandemic, it´s an unacceptable toll of preventable deaths.

Plus, Dr. Ghebreyesus urged the world to continue facilitating testing, treatment and vaccination, and also called on people to “wear face coverings where necessary and guarantee indoor spaces are well-entilated.”

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