7 Apr 2021
“Nowhere are infections as worrisome as in South America, the place instances are mounting in almost each nation.”
Washington, D.C., April 7, 2021 (PAHO)—“COVID infections proceed to surge all through the Americas,” with greater than 1.3 million new instances and 37,000 deaths reported within the area within the final week whereas instances rise in almost each nation in South America, Pan American Well being Group Director Carissa F. Etienne stated immediately.
“In areas of Bolivia and Colombia, instances have doubled within the final week, and all 4 international locations within the Southern Cone have been experiencing an acceleration in COVID-19 instances, with uninterrupted group transmission in current weeks,” Dr. Etienne stated throughout her weekly media briefing.
Noting that greater than half of all world deaths reported over the past week have been discovered within the Americas, she stated that is “a sober reminder of the human toll of this pandemic.”
“Driving down infections begins by staying house and doing every thing we are able to to guard ourselves and others from getting sick,” Dr. Etienne continued. “And but, we’re seeing that populations within the area slowly and steadily elevated their mobility over time, even when public well being and social measures have been in place throughout this pandemic.”
If the will increase in journey developments inside and between international locations proceed, “our well being techniques will likely be in deeper bother,” she stated. “No matter pandemic fatigue, we can not ease public well being and social interventions with out good information and justification. Our actions should replicate our actuality.”
Dr. Etienne stated the epidemiological scenario throughout the area is uneven, with infections rising in some locations and falling in others. “In North America, instances and hospitalizations are climbing in Canada, whereas an infection charges are slowing down within the U.S. and Mexico,” she famous.
She famous that over the past week, the U.S., Brazil, and Argentina have been among the many ten international locations on the earth registering the best variety of new infections worldwide, and different international locations weren’t far behind. “However nowhere are infections as worrisome as in South America, the place instances are mounting in almost each nation,” Dr. Etienne stated.
World Well being Day, which is well known immediately, is “a day the place we replicate on the significance of well being and our promise to realize well being for all,” she added. “With its theme of ‘collectively for a fairer, more healthy world,’ there is no such thing as a higher second to speak concerning the want for pressing change.”
“During the last yr, this virus has significantly deepened the inequities which have lengthy divided this area,” Dr. Etienne stated. “Whereas many people have been fortunate sufficient to proceed working in the course of the pandemic from the consolation and security of house, half of our workforce depends on the casual financial system – staying at house would have meant foregoing their livelihoods.”
Many others stay or are newly unemployed. For many who are unemployed, and for the 22 million individuals who fell into poverty this yr within the Americas, “the monetary pressure of this pandemic has been devastating,” she stated. “Successfully preventing COVID-19 is not possible with out addressing a few of these inequalities and supporting essentially the most susceptible as they battle to guard themselves.”
Noting that vaccinations proceed within the Americas, she stated that greater than 210 million doses of COVID vaccines have been administered throughout 49 international locations and territories within the Americas. PAHO’s Revolving Fund has delivered greater than 2.6 million COVID vaccines from the COVAX mechanism to 26 international locations, and extra doses are making their strategy to the Caribbean.
“However after all, vaccines are only one a part of our COVID response – and we should proceed to depend on public well being measures to maintain our populations and our international locations protected,” Dr. Etienne stated.
Whereas we now have all been affected by this pandemic, we now have not been impacted equally,” Dr. Etienne stated. “To combat COVID-19 successfully, we should handle these inequalities and assist essentially the most susceptible as they battle to guard themselves.”
Contacts
Daniel Epstein
Nancy Nusser
Sebastián Oliel
[email protected]
