Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research
Coronavirus [COVID-19] – WHO
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
Weekly Epidemiological and Operational updates
Last update: 29 May 2021
Confirmed cases :: 169 118 995 [week ago: 165 772 430]
Confirmed deaths :: 3 519 175 [week ago: 3 437 545]
Vaccine doses administered: 1 546 316 352 [week ago: 1 448 242 899]
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Weekly operational update on COVID-19 – 24 May 2021
In this edition of the COVID-19 Weekly Operational Update, highlights of country-level actions and WHO support to countries include:
:: Medical supplies reach Indian states and Union Territories
:: Egypt and Philippines receive additional shipments of COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX Facility
:: Strengthening quality assurance and biosafety for SARS-CoV-2 sample collection sites in Azerbaijan
COVID-19 posing unprecedented threat on war-torn Yemen
:: Online training on vaccination to frontline workers in Uruguay
:: WHO EPI-WIN hosted discussion for youth networks on mental health and how ten years of
:: Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) strengthened capacities to support the COVID-19 response
:: Regular updates on WHO’s resource requirements and funds received to support countries in implementing the COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan 2021, WHO/PAHO procurement of critical supplies, and implementation of the Unity Studies
Weekly epidemiological update on COVID-19 – 25 May 2021
Overview
For the second successive week, the number of COVID-19 cases globally remains at the highest levels since the beginning of the pandemic with over 5.7 million new weekly cases, following nine consecutive weeks of increases. New deaths continue to increase for the seventh consecutive week, with over 93 000 deaths. The South-East Asia Region continues to report marked increases in both case and death incidences.
In this edition, special focus updates are provided on:
:: World Hand Hygiene Day, 5 May 2021
:: WHO partnership with SeroTracker — synthesizing “real-time” seroprevalence data to support global pandemic response
:: SARS-CoV-2 variants
[Excerpt, p. 7]
Special Focus: Update on SARS-CoV-2 variants
WHO, in collaboration with national authorities, institutions and researchers, routinely assesses if variants of SARS-CoV-2 result in changes in transmissibility, clinical presentation and severity, or if they result in changes in public health and social measures (PHSM) implementation by national health authorities. Systems have been established to detect “signals” of potential variants of concern (VOCs) or variants of interest (VOIs) and assess these based on the risk posed to global public health (see also working definitions). National authorities may choose to designate other variants of local interest/concern. Detailed information on currently circulating VOCs and VOIs is available in previously published editions of the Weekly Epidemiological Update. Here we provide a brief update on the geographical distribution of the three VOCs as of 4 May 2021, as well as an update on detected VOIs (Table 2).
As surveillance activities to detect SARS-CoV-2 variants are strengthened at local and national levels, including by strategic genomic sequencing, the number of countries/areas/territories (hereafter countries) reporting VOCs and VOIs has continued to increase. Since our last update on 27 April, VOC 202012/01 has been detected in three additional countries, variant 501Y.V2 in ten additional countries, and variant P.1 has been reported in three additional countries. As of 4 May, a total 142 countries have reported VOC 202012/01 (Figure 3), 97 countries variant 501Y.V2 (Figure 4), and 56 countries variant P.1 (Figure 5) – see also Annex 2. The information presented here should be interpreted with due consideration of surveillance limitations, including differences in sequencing capacities and prioritization of samples for sequencing between countries.
Draft landscape and tracker of COVID-19 candidate vaccines
28 May 2021 | Publication
The COVID-19 candidate vaccine landscape and tracker database compiles detailed information on COVID-19 vaccine candidates in development.
The landscape is updated regularly – twice a week (Tuesday and Friday, 17:00 CET).
Status of COVID-19 Vaccines within WHO EUL/PQ evaluation process 28 May 2021
For 19 vaccine candidates, presents Manufacturer, Name of Vaccine, NRA of Record, Platform, EOI Accepted Status, Pre-submission Meeting Held Status, Dossier Accepted for Review, Status of Assessment; Anticipated/Completed Decision Date
vaccines and global health :: ethics and policy 