The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) on Wednesday warned of the growing number of COVID-19 cases caused by the highly infectious BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants of the coronavirus even as overall cases dipped in the Americas.
There were 1,562,967 new COVID-19 cases in the Americas last week, a 0.9 per cent decrease, PAHO said at a news conference, while deaths fell 3.5 per cent to 4,789.
"The emergence of BA.4 and BA.5 is yet another reminder that the virus keeps evolving every time it is transmitted, and that we must remain vigilant," Etienne said.She urged countries in the Americas to reintroduce public health measures like the use of facemasks and social distancing when cases spike.
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