United Nations

Global COVID markers fall, though cases rising in several countries CIDRAP

The World Health Organization (WHO) in its weekly pandemic update said yesterday that COVID-19 cases and deaths declined over the last month, but added that levels are rising in 31% of countries, especially in two world regions.

Cases rise in India and the Middle East

Also, the WHO on March 30 added one more variant under monitoring to its list, XBB.1.9.1.

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WHO calls for action to protect, support and expand global health force Ahead of its 75th anniversary on Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for countries to both address inequities in care and protect the workers who provide it, many of whom are burned out from the COVID-19 pandemic. UN News

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Tedros reported that since the onset of the pandemic, more than one in three health and care workers have suffered from anxiety and depression, and around half have experienced burnout. 

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Pandemic 3 years later: Has the COVID-19 virus won? On the third anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic, the virus is still spreading and the death toll is nearing 7 million worldwide. Yet most people have resumed their normal lives, thanks to a wall of immunity built from infections and vaccines. AP NEWS

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“New variants emerging anywhere threaten us everywhere,” said virus researcher Thomas Friedrich of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “Maybe that will help people to understand how connected we are.” ...

Pandemic fund vastly oversubscribed, more money needed - World Bank More than 100 low- and middle-income countries have put in early bids for at least $5.5 billion from a fund that initially has only $300 million to spend to help them better prepare for pandemics. Jennifer Rigby Reuters

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