World Health Organization (WHO) Health Emergencies Program Director Michael Ryan said Wednesday, Jan. 13, that the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic could be more difficult for humanity than the first. He expressed this opinion during a question-and-answer session on Twitter.
“We are entering the second year of the pandemic, and it could be even more difficult given the dynamics of the coronavirus,” the WHO official said.
According to the expert, the incidence of the coronavirus has once again peaked. In the last week alone there have been about 5 million new cases and more than 85,000 deaths worldwide.
The situation with coronavirus infection in the countries of the Northern Hemisphere Ryan called “a perfect storm. He explained that this is due to the fact that it is winter there and people spend more time indoors, where they are always more likely to be infected than outdoors. In addition, new strains of the coronavirus are circulating in some countries, including Britain and Ireland.
Earlier, on Jan. 13, scientists found two new strains of COVID-19 that had formed in the United States in Ohio. According to American specialists, one of the strains is similar to the one found in the United Kingdom. In addition, the development of another strain with three genetic mutations has also been noticed.
