SNA’A (MEMO) – A “shocking increase” of Covid-19 cases across the Eastern Mediterranean region has likely been caused by the Omicron variant, according to the World Health Organisation. Ahmed al-Mandhari, the WHO regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean, said at a press briefing in Cairo, “While Omicron appears to cause less severe disease compared to Delta, especially in those vaccinated, this certainly does not mean it should be underestimated, as it continues to lead to hospitalization and deaths.” Despite a 13 percent decrease in Covid-19 related deaths, cases in the region surged by 89 percent in the first week of January.
Mandhari, who oversees 22 countries in the region, said that Afghanistan, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen had vaccinated less than 10 percent of their populations. This was despite the fact that these countries have the capacity to vaccinate and protect 40 percent of their populations. The regional director blamed the failure on a “lack of political commitment at the highest levels”.