BRASILIA --
COVID-19 infections are reaching new peaks within the Americas with 7.2 million new instances and greater than 15,000 COVID-related deaths within the final week, the Pan American Well being Group (PAHO) mentioned on Wednesday.
"The virus is spreading extra actively than ever earlier than," PAHO Director Carissa Etienne informed a briefing.
The Caribbean has had the steepest improve in infections for the reason that begin of the two-year-old pandemic, the regional company mentioned. In North America, america and Canada are experiencing a surge of COVID-19 hospitalizations.
Given a scarcity of testing, PAHO beneficial that nations prioritize speedy antigen exams for folks with COVID-19 signs and who're susceptible to spreading the virus.
Regardless that greater than 60% of individuals in Latin America and the Caribbean have been absolutely vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19, Omicron is spreading quickly in all areas, mentioned PAHO Incident Supervisor Sylvain Aldighieri.
The variant's advance in coming weeks and months will rely on public well being measures to include it, together with use of masks and social distancing and above all vaccinations, to cut back the severity of COVID-19 instances and hospitalizations, he mentioned.
Brazil reported a file 137,103 instances of the coronavirus in 24 hours as Omicron unfold in Latin America's largest nation, the Well being Ministry mentioned on Tuesday, as new infections soared above the earlier day by day file of 115,228 in June final yr.
Brazil has the world's third highest dying toll from COVID-19 after america and Russia, in keeping with a Reuters tally.
A well being employee applies a shot of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a neighborhood well being centre in Brasilia, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022. (AP Picture/Eraldo Peres)
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