South Korea today reported a massive jump in COVD-19 cases, which topped 600,000, as Omicron surges continue in a handful of Asian hot spots.
Meanwhile, in the United States, President Joe Biden today named a new White House COVID-19 coordinator to replace Jeff Zients, who has held the position over the last 14 months.
Deaths remain low in South Korea
South Korea today reported its highest single-day total, which at 621,328, was up sharply from 400,714 the previous day. Officials also reported a daily high for deaths, with 429 more fatalities. Lee Sang-won, with the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, said daily cases are tracking far higher than officials expected, according to Reuters.
The country is known for its strong public health response, especially contact tracing and testing. Though testing is still widespread, contact tracing and some other measures have been scaled back. Officials will consider scaling back measures tomorrow.
Officials also said high vaccine uptake, with 63% of people boosted, has limited deaths.
Hong Kong struggles with high fatalities
In Hong Kong, the pace of new infections and deaths continued at a very high level, with 21,650 new cases and 202 more deaths. The country is experiencing one of the world's highest death rates, partly linked to vaccine gaps in vulnerable older groups.
Officials today announced plans to scale up mortuary capacity and speed the processing of bodies. Currently, 1,500 bodies are stored in an expanded facility with room for 2,300 bodies.
Elsewhere, China—experiencing its biggest spike in 2 years—reported 2,462 new cases, which include 1,206 people with asymptomatic infections. Almost half of the new cases are from hard-hit Jilin province, especially Jilin City. The whole province is currently on lockdown, and health officials have been conducting rounds of mass testing.
In other global developments:
- Africa's vaccine uptake increased 15% in January and February, as immunization programs ramped up in some larger countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) African regional office said yesterday. Currently, about 15% of the region's adult population is fully vaccinated, well behind other parts of the world, and officials said vaccination needs to increase ninefold to reach the target of vaccinating 70% of the population by June.
- Italy today announced phased plans to wind down most of its restrictions, including phasing out vaccine passes on May 1, ending a color-coded regional risk system, requiring workers over 50 to be vaccinated, and indoor masking.
- The United Nations-based Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) today announced that it has signed agreements with 35 manufacturers to make a generic version of Pfizer's oral COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid, which is given with a low dose of ritonavir, to help supply 95 low- and middle-income countries. The sublicenses follow a voluntary deal between MPP and Pfizer that was signed in November.
Jha to take pandemic response reins
President Biden today named Ashish Jha, MD, MPH, the new White House COVID-19 coordinator, replacing Jeff Zients. In a statement, Biden credited Zients with managing the rollout of vaccines and boosters and putting the infrastructure in place to deliver not only vaccine, but also tests, treatments, and masks.
"The progress that he and his team have made is stunning and even more important, consequential. Lives have been saved," Biden said.
Jha is dean of the Brown University School of Public Health. Biden said Jha is well known among Americans for his wise and calming public presence and is perfect for the job, as the nation enters the next phases of the pandemic, Biden said.
Feds unveil ventilation standards
In other federal developments, the Biden Administration unveiled new standards for ventilation of schools and businesses. The guidance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the first to address air filtration in these settings, is part the nation's new COVID-19 plan.
In releasing the new guidance today, the EPA issued a "Clean Air in Buildings Challenge," which focuses on creating a clean indoor air action plan, optimizing fresh-air ventilation, enhancing air filtration and cleaning, and conducting community engagement.
