United Nations

WHO weighs in on Omicron XBB.1.5 subvariant; US extends COVID health emergency CIDRAP

The World Health Organization (WHO) advisory group on virus evolution said the Omicron XBB.1.5 subvariant is poised to drive an increase in COVID-19 cases, but it cautioned that confidence in its assessment is low, because most of the information is based on data from just one country—the United States.

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WHO backs mask wearing on long flights as new Omicron variant spreads Countries should consider recommending passengers wear masks on long-haul flights to counter the latest Omicron subvariant of COVID-19 given its rapid spread in the United States, World Health Organization (WHO) officials said on Tuesday. Natalie Grover Reuters

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Africa CDC says Uganda's Ebola outbreak is coming under control Africa's top public health body said on Thursday that the Ebola outbreak in Uganda was coming under control, as it had been 39 days since the last confirmed case of the virus had been reported in the country. Reuters Reuters

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COVID-19 enters 4th year with successes, but new threats CIDRAP

As the pandemic enters its fourth year, the world is in a better place with managing the disease but still faces threats from inequities for accessing tools to battle COVID-19, intense transmission in several countries, and the emergence of another highly transmissible Omicron subvariant, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said today.

In a related development, the WHO today shared details about its virus evolution advisory group's assessment of viruses circulating in China and said the experts are also assessing the Omicron XBB.1.5 subvariant, which is quickly becoming dominant in the United States.

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