Fines for tampering with electricity meter range between SR5000 and SR100000 New amendments made in Electricity Law    Saudi Arabia deports 8,051 illegal residents in a week    Saudi Arabia is among world's top donors with assistance worth SR528 billion    GCC – Japan negotiations make progress in sealing free trade agreement    Inzaghi hails Al Hilal's fearless Club World Cup run    UNRWA calls for urgent fuel delivery to Gaza to prevent shutdown of basic services    Syria rules out foreign borrowing as central bank hails post-Assad recovery    Pakistan army kills 30 militants in cross-border clash near Afghanistan    State of emergency declared in Crete after wildfire devastates Ierapetra    OPEC+ further accelerates oil output hike by 548,000 bpd in August    Football world mourns Diogo Jota and brother André Silva at funeral in Portugal    Al Hilal exit Club World Cup after narrow defeat to Fluminense    Saudi Arabia tops global ICT Development Index for 2025    Hotel occupancy in Saudi Arabia rises to 63% as tourism workforce tops 983,000 in Q1 2025    Alkhorayef Commercial Company partners with XSQUARE Technologies to elevate logistics automation in Saudi Arabia    Portugal and Liverpool FC winger Diogo Jota dies in car accident in Spain    Michael Madsen, actor of 'Kill Bill' and 'Reservoir Dogs' fame, dead at 67    BTS are back: K-pop band confirm new album and tour    Michelin Guide launches in Saudi Arabia with phased rollout in 2025    'How fragile we are': Roskilde Festival tragedy remembered 25 years on    Sholay: Bollywood epic roars back to big screen after 50 years with new ending    Ministry launches online booking for slaughterhouses on eve of Eid Al-Adha    Shah Rukh Khan makes Met Gala debut in Sabyasachi    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Smart use of rapid tests critical amid COVID surge: WHO official
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 20 - 01 - 2022

COVID-19 cases continue to accelerate in the Americas amid increased demand for testing, the head of the regional office of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday.
Dr. Carissa Etienne, Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), highlighted the critical need for countries to scale-up testing and, in particular, to leverage "smart" use of rapid antigen tests.
Over the past week, COVID-19 cases in the region reached new peaks, with nearly 7.2 million new infections and more than 15,000 deaths.
"Although Omicron infections appear to be milder, we continue to urge caution because the virus is spreading more actively than ever before," she said.
COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to surge in North America, the United States and Canada.
Panama, Costa Rica and Honduras saw their caseloads more than double over the past week, representing the highest numbers of new cases in Central America.
Caribbean islands are also witnessing the steepest increase in infections in the nearly three years since the pandemic was declared. Cases in Martinique have risen by more than 600 per cent, while Saint Martin has reported a more than 135 per cent increase.
Caseloads in more than 17 countries and territories have at least doubled, which she said is especially concerning as hospital capacity in many islands is limited.
Infections also are accelerating in Colombia, Peru, Brazil, and Bolivia, while hospitalizations are growing in Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina.
As the virus surges, countries are confronting what Dr. Etienne called the "familiar challenge" of testing.
Despite a strong network of laboratories across the Americas, demand for testing is higher than ever, especially as many countries are also experiencing an active flu season, "so it's critical that countries use tests smartly," she said.
PAHO has recommended that the best way to boost testing is to leverage rapid antigen tests, which provide a diagnosis in minutes.
These tests do not require specialized training or expensive equipment, and can be deployed to primary health centres, meaning more people can be reached.
Dr. Etienne urged countries to expand testing at the community level to relieve pressure on overburdened hospitals.
"Because we are facing a testing shortage, PAHO recommends that countries prioritize rapid antigen tests for individuals who are experiencing COVID symptoms and are at risk of spreading the virus," she said.
PAHO continues to support regional countries during the pandemic.
Through its Strategic Fund, more than 42 million PCR diagnostic tests and rapid antigen tests for nearly 40 countries have been acquired since the start of the crisis, more than two years ago.
More than 12 million tests have been deployed to countries in need, with stocks sent to Bolivia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, as well as St. Kitts and Nevis, in recent weeks.
The health agency has also established agreements with two of the WHO-approved manufacturers of COVID-19 diagnostic tests, to secure them at reduced cost.
Dr. Etienne urged governments to take advantage of this arrangement by purchasing diagnostic tests through the PAHO Strategic Fund.
Since January of 2021, the Fund has purchased more than 22 million COVID tests on behalf of regional countries, and orders are expected to increase this year. — UN News


Clic here to read the story from its source.