DURBAN - A resurgence of Covid-19 in countries which ‘defeated’ the deadly virus, has set off alarm bells across the world. In a move to curb this resurgence lockdown and new health regulations have been reimposed.
Amid continued debates over what constitutes a second wave, a resurgence or seasonal return of the disease, the World Health Organization (WHO) says the Covid-19 pandemic is currently unfolding in “one big wave” with no evidence that it follows seasonal variations common to influenza and other coronaviruses, such as the common cold.
Despite an initial lull in the number of coronavirus cases in Hong Kong, the city is now faced with the resurgence of the pandemic. While it was reporting an average of under 10 new cases a day less than a month ago, the city is now reporting over 100 new cases daily.
Belgium has reimposed stricter social distancing rules after a spike in infections, while France had consecutive days with more than 1,000 new cases. Spain, meanwhile, has seen a rise in cases in Catalonia, prompting the region to go into lockdown.
Speaking during a WHO press conference, Maria Van Kerkhove said the global picture is complicated, but countries where transmission is growing fall into two camps.
“Many countries are really in the thick of it, they are really seeing intense transmission. Other countries which have already passed through their first peak, many of them are keeping transmission low. However, in some of those countries they’re starting to see a resurgence, clusters of cases and outbreaks in certain geographic areas or areas associated with certain types of industries, such as nightclubs,” she said.
Australia has been experiencing an unprecedented spike in the number of new coronavirus cases through community transmission. The state’s capital Melbourne has become the epicentre as the city is now reporting over 100 new cases daily.
After Iran began to relax lockdown restrictions in April, the country has witnessed a rapid spike in coronavirus cases from mid-May onwards. The rise in infections has also been accompanied by a steadily increasing death toll. In June, the total number of Covid-related deaths crossed 100 for the first time.
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