Ammon News - The World Health Organisation (WHO) Wednesday sounded the alarm on the increase of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the MENA region.

After a decline in COVID-19 cases and deaths across WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) for eight consecutive weeks, several countries are seeing a significant increase in new cases and deaths, it highlighted.

Significant increases in COVID-19 cases have been reported from Libya, Iran, Iraq, and Tunisia. Lebanon and Morocco have also started to witness a rise in cases, with an exponential increase expected in these two countries in the coming weeks.

"We are reaching a critical point for COVID-19 in our Region," said Dr Ahmed Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean. "Just one week after reaching the grim milestone of 11 million cases, we are now seeing an upward spike in a number of countries.

"This is being aggravated by new variants circulating, most concerning of which is the Delta variant, low vaccine availability and uptake and lack of adherence to public health and social measures."

With the Eid al-Adha holiday starting July 20, traditionally marked by religious and social gatherings, WHO is concerned that the current upsurge may continue to peak in the coming weeks, with catastrophic consequences.

Mandhari said "Countries are reintroducing or strengthening social and travel restrictions, but at this stage, increasing complacency by communities means that the virus is winning in the Region.

"As variants continue to spread, we need everyone to get vaccinated as soon as they are offered, continue wearing masks, and practicing physical distancing."

The total number of cases across the Region now exceeds 11.4 million, and the number of deaths is more than 223,000, with 19 out of 22 countries now reporting at least one new variant circulating, the WHO noted.