Five years after its emergence, COVID-19 continues to claim lives worldwide, although the scale of infection and death has drastically diminished since the pandemic’s peak. Over 777 million cases and seven million deaths have been officially recorded, with the true toll likely far higher.
While the World Health Organisation declared the pandemic emergency over in May 2023, the virus remains endemic, causing periodic resurgences.
Omicron and its subvariants, including the current KP.3.1.1 strain, dominates globally, with no recent strains proving more severe. Vaccines remain a crucial line of defence, yet booster uptake has waned, even among healthcare workers. Meanwhile, long Covid, affecting an estimated six percent of those infected, continues to burden health systems, with no definitive treatment in sight.
Scientists caution that future pandemics are inevitable. Talks on a global treaty for pandemic preparedness remain unresolved, highlighting persistent inequities. Experts also raise concerns about vaccine misinformation, which could undermine future responses to health crises.
