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In May 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. But this does not mean that the danger has passed because the virus is constantly mutating, Azernews reports.

A new strain of EG.5 has recently been identified and the number of infections worldwide is steadily increasing.

• The coronavirus pandemic, which has been going on for more than three years, has become a serious test for the global health system. The World Health Organization estimates that at least 20 million people have died from Covid-19, although official figures put the death toll at 7 million.
• This virus was first reported in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. At the end of January 2020, WHO recognized the epidemic as an emergency, and in March declared it a pandemic.
• The first infection in Azerbaijan was detected in February 2020. As a result of the flexible measures taken by the state, the situation was immediately brought under control, and fundamental steps were taken to prevent the disease, ensure the safety of people, and treat it. Thanks to successful vaccination and other measures, our society managed to get out of the situation with minimal losses.
• A total of 14 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered to citizens. During this period, more than 830,000 people have been infected with coronavirus in Azerbaijan, more than 10,000 people have died, and more than 800,000 people have recovered after undergoing treatment.

• Coronavirus is constantly mutating, and the emergence of new strains worries the world's population. In February of this year, the EG.5 type Eris machine with high distribution efficiency was registered. This is a new version of the Omicron strain. Symptoms are classic: cough, runny nose, sore throat, fever, severe fatigue.
• EG.5, which has already been distributed to 51 countries, differs from its predecessors in that it has a slightly higher infectivity index.
• The number of hospitalized patients increased slightly compared to previous months. In the autumn season, an increase in the incidence of respiratory viral infections is expected and, accordingly, the number of patients with COVID-19 will slightly increase.
• The World Health Organization has reported a 63% increase in global COVID-19 cases over the past month. This is stated in the weekly WHO epidemiological report.
• From July 17 to August 13, there were 1.4 million infections.
• Due to the situation, the US Presidential Administration has already urged Americans to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The states of California, New York, and Georgia are beginning to introduce a mandatory mask regime.
• Increases in EG.5 variant infections are primarily seen in the US, Europe, and the Western Pacific region. WHO representatives predict that this trend will continue and will peak in the fall when it becomes the dominant strain.
• “Larger studies are needed to study the effects of strain EG.5. WHO advises countries to be careful in this matter.
• The situation related to the coronavirus is always the focus of attention of the Ministry of Health of Azerbaijan and other relevant state institutions.

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