World Insights: Experts warn COVID-19 pandemic not over as global cases surpass 500 mln

Under such circumstances, some nations have chosen to lift their restrictions due to gloomy economic outlooks, insufficient policy implementation and general fatigue in fighting the virus, Xinhua reports.

Experts have raised the alarm that the pandemic is far from ending, as humans have yet to completely solve the COVID-19 maze.

RISING INFECTIONS

Since last November when the Omicron strain was first found, the world's caseload almost doubled in less than six months, with more than 1 million deaths -- roughly equivalent to the population of a medium-sized city.

This partly explained why the WHO said in the statement that the COVID-19 virus «is continuing to cause high levels of morbidity and mortality, particularly among vulnerable human populations.»

In the United States, about 80 million cases have been registered and the national death toll is close to one million. India and Brazil follow behind, with confirmed cases exceeding 43 million and 30 million, respectively, according to data from the WHO.

Though recent updates indicate a decreasing trend in new cases and deaths, over 7 million cases and 22,000 deaths were reported during the week of April 4-10, causing unbearable losses to numerous families.

These trends should be interpreted with caution, the WHO particularly reminded, as several countries are adjusting their testing strategies, which has resulted in lower numbers of tests performed and cases detected.

Despite a reduction in severity, the WHO pointed out, the massive increases in Omicron-infected cases have led to a large number of hospitalizations and greater pressure on healthcare systems.

In some countries, there are similar or even higher numbers of deaths when compared to previous peaks, it added.

HIGHER RISK TO PUBLIC

For countries worldwide, a shared goal is to contain the COVID-19 spread and reduce its threats to humans. But after rounds of efforts without coming by a workable solution, some have decided to drop their restrictions, including those on travel, socializing, mask-wearing, testing and vaccination. COVID-19 cases and deaths, as a result, ticked up once again.

Anthony Fauci, the top American infectious disease expert, has recently said that he expects «an uptick in cases» over the next few weeks due to the Omicron subvariant BA.2 in the United States, where states and cities have moved to lift restrictions, and that the subvariant is about 50-60 percent more transmissible than the first Omicron strain.

The United States is now averaging about 30,000 new cases, 500 deaths and 1,400 hospitalizations every day, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Health experts said that rolling back COVID-19 mitigation measures may have come too soon, and the continued rise in confirmed cases poses a higher risk to the public, especially children and the immunocompromised groups.

Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) is trapped in a similar plight, as multiple members have scrapped most curbs, relying on vaccination to reach «collective immunity.»

«While many EU countries are lifting restrictions, we notice that the infection rates are increasing again in some member states, partly because of the circulation of Omicron BA2,» Marco Cavalieri, head of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) 's strategy on biological health threats and vaccines, told reporters in March.

Details also at