Pandemic antibiotic surge will cause more deaths: WHO-citizens

WHO Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that “anxious numbers” of bacterial infections are becoming more and more resistant to the drugs traditionally used to treat them.

The UN health agency said it was concerned that improper use of antibiotics during the coronavirus crisis could further accelerate this trend.

“The COVID-19 pandemic will increase antibiotic use and ultimately increase bacterial resistance, affecting the burden of illness and death during and after the pandemic,” Tedros says WHO Geneva. Headquarters talked about in a virtual press conference from.

The WHO said only a small percentage of COVID-19 patients needed antibiotics to treat subsequent bacterial infections.

The organization issued guidance to physicians not to provide antibiotic therapy or prophylaxis to patients with mild COVID-19 or to moderately ill patients without clinical suspicion of a bacterial infection.

Tedros said the guidelines should help save life and address antimicrobial resistance.

He called the threat of antimicrobial resistance “one of the most pressing challenges of our time.”

“It’s clear that the world is losing the ability to use very important antimicrobials,” he said.

He emphasized improper use, and in some countries there was “overuse” of antibiotics, whereas in low-income countries such life-saving drugs were not available, ” It leads to death.”

– Treatment of illness interrupted –

Meanwhile, WHO said prevention and treatment of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) has been terribly confusing since the COVID-19 outbreak began in December when it surveyed 155 countries.

“This situation is a significant concern because people living with NCDs are at increased risk of serious COVID-19-related illness and death,” he said.

A three-week survey in May found that low-income countries were most affected.

Approximately 53% of countries report partial or complete discontinuation of hypertension treatment services.

The number of diabetes treatments and related complications was 49%. 42% for cancer treatment and 31% for cardiovascular emergencies.

The most common reasons for service interruptions or reductions were cancellations of planned treatments, a reduction in available public transport, and staff shortages due to medical personnel being assigned to COVID-19 treatments. did.

– Risk of gathering –

The WHO has warned about the dangers of a large rally as protests over the murder of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, intensified in the United States and elsewhere and the sporting event began a tentative resumption.

“A large gathering can act as a very large event,” Tedros warned, highlighting WHO guidance to help organizers decide how to safely host such an event. ..

The WHO was asked about street protests in the United States and what could increase the spread of the virus.

Maria Van Kerkhove, COVID-19 technical lead for the organization, said: “Intimate contact between people could pose a risk, especially in areas where social mix is ​​increasing, people are gathering, and viruses are not under control.” There is a general gathering.

People planning large-scale events should have a “very serious and rigorous risk assessment”, she said.

“Physical distance is a very important aspect for controlling and controlling COVID-19 infections. This is not over,” the expert said.

– North America is still at its peak –

According to official sources compiled by AFP, the novel coronavirus has infected at least 6.2 million people and killed more than 373,000 people since its first outbreak in China last December.

WHO Director of Emergency Situations Michael Ryan said the prevalence of infection in South America was “far from stable” following a sharp increase in case numbers.

Brazil, Peru, Chile and Mexico were one of the 10 with the highest number of new cases in the last 24 hours.

“Especially Latin America has become a highly contagious area for this virus,” Ryan said.

“I don’t think its transmittance has peaked. At this point, I can’t predict when.”