“And we know that when cases increase, so do deaths,” WHO Director General Dr Tedros commented.

GENEVA, Mar 18 (The CONNECT)- Expressing concern over the rising cases of COVID 19 in Asia, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has cautioned that “the cases we are seeing are just the tip of the iceberg”.

Addressing the global media through a virtual conference, WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the reported cases of COVID19 are once again increasing globally, especially in parts of Asia, after several weeks of declines.

These increases are occurring despite reductions in testing in some countries, which means the cases we are seeing are just the tip of the iceberg, Dr Tedros said.

Continued local outbreaks and surges are to be expected, particularly in areas where measures to prevent transmission have been lifted, he warned.

There are “unacceptably high levels of mortality” in many countries, specifically where vaccination levels are low among susceptible populations, Dr Tedros said.

Each country is facing a different situation with different challenges, but the pandemic is not over, he said called upon all countries to remain vigilant.

Continue to vaccinate, test, sequence, provide early care for patients and apply common-sense public health measures to protect health workers & the public, he said.

“And we know that when cases increase, so do deaths,” Dr Tedros added.