COVID’s case is rising in the Americas, following Europe, PAHO has warned Coronavirus pandemic News

The Americas saw a 23% increase in cases last week, although most cases were registered in the US and Canada.

Last week, new coronavirus infections rose 23 percent in the Americas, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said, warning that the region could be on track for trends in Europe, amid numerous cases of blockade by several countries.

OPS Director Carissa Etienne said there have been 880,583 new COVID-19 infections in the Americas in the past week and more than 15,000 deaths.

In most new cases, Etienne said the infection had risen in the United States and Canada. In Central America, meanwhile, the number of new infections fell by 37 percent.

During this pandemic, Europe has been a window to the future for the Americas.

We have seen time and time again how the dynamics of infection in Europe are reflected here, several weeks later.@DirOPSPAHO # COVID-19

– OPS / NOR (@pahowho) November 24, 2021

“These trends are significant,” Etienne said in a weekly news release. “Although COVID cases have dropped significantly in recent months, COVID transmission is still active in our region, so every time we lower our guard, the virus takes on strength,” he said.

It came as an update Europe – Seen as a pioneer in global pandemic trends – new blockades are being imposed as several countries are recording huge rates of new infections.

“During this pandemic, Europe has been a window to the future for the Americas,” Etienne said. “Again and again, we have seen how the dynamics of infection in Europe are reflected here, several weeks later.”

The stakes are particularly high for the US, a country that has already recorded more than 770,000 deaths as a result of COVID, more than any other country in the world. Brazil is second with more than 600,000 dead, according to a count by Johns Hopkins University.

As the US enters colder winter months and during the holiday season, where many Americans are expected to travel and hold large family reunions, officials are increasingly concerned that the country will once again begin to see a rapid spread of new infections, flooding hospitals.

Local media reported that air travel is expected to approach pre-pandemic levels ahead of Thursday’s Thanksgiving party.

According to official data, coronavirus cases are up 16 percent from the U.S. last week, and hospitalizations are up 5 percent. Meanwhile, deaths fell by 2.4%.

Etienne said all South American countries except Brazil, Suriname and Venezuela are reporting more and more cases, with Ecuador and Paraguay seeing the biggest jumps.

Meanwhile, the Caribbean island of Trinidad and Tobago is experiencing the highest COVID-19 rate ever and hospitals reported it was close to full capacity.

Etienne said the rise in both Europe and the Americas is largely due to the relaxation of public health measures, the Delta variant and the “significant pockets of people without vaccines”.

Resistance to vaccines driven by misinformation, as well limited access to doses in the poorest countries in the region, they have hampered vaccination efforts in the region.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, 51 percent of people are fully integrated, he said, adding that 19 countries have not reached 40 percent.

PAHO has set a goal to include 70% of the population of all American countries by mid-2022.