Brasilia, Sept. 23 (BNA): The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) warned on Wednesday that countries in the region may continue to grapple with localized COVID-19 outbreaks “until 2022” even as deaths drop from their peak in January.
In a report to its annual policy-making meeting, the Pan American Health Organization said that while vaccines are advancing, the region faces a “severe problem of vaccine inequality” that will prolong the epidemic, particularly in poor Latin American countries.
This means the continued need to take preventive measures, including procedures for early detection, investigation and isolation of infected cases, contact tracing and quarantine.
Renewed outbreaks are expected in institutions such as nursing homes, prisons, and densely populated urban areas.
The PAHO said that while vaccination coverage may reach high levels overall, much will depend on the availability of vaccine supply, which is limited worldwide, and access and demand among specific populations.
“Vaccine frequency may further slow population uptake or prevent the full potential of vaccination,” the report from the WHO regional branch said.
In its update on the situation of COVID-19 in the Americas, the Pan American Health Organization said that nearly all countries and territories have reported detection of at least one of the four COVID variants of concern.
Half of them detected the highly transmissible delta variant, the strain now prevalent in Canada, Mexico and the United States, according to the Pan American Health Organization.
The Americas region has been affected more than other regions of the world, with more than two million people killed so far. The United States and Brazil have the highest death tolls in the world.
Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and the United States are among the top ten countries in terms of cumulative deaths globally.
Latin America and the Caribbean have seen more COVID deaths than Asia and Africa combined.
HF