New COVID-19 wave in Ukraine began earlier than predicted - Liashko
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A new wave of COVID-19 in Ukraine began earlier than predicted, Health Minister Viktor Liashko has told the Voice of America.
"Initially, there was a significant increase [in COVID-cases] during the current wave in the western regions, and we thought that what happened in the fall of 2020 and the spring of 2021 would not happen again. But now we see that the situation has already stabilized in the Chernivtsi region, which was the first to 'catch fire' in the new wave. But the eastern and southern regions are reporting more [COVID-19 cases]. In particular, the Kherson region, which went through two waves without leaving the yellow level, did not even move into the orange level. [...] Now it is one of the first that can approach the red level," Liashko said.

According to him, the current wave of infections in Ukraine began earlier than predicted by the ministry, and in terms of its intensity, it is already approaching the figures reported in the autumn of 2020.

"The new circulation of the virus, which led to this wave, is primarily looking for those who have not contracted COVID-19 or those who have not been vaccinated," Liashko said.

According to the Ministry of Health, 95% of all confirmed coronavirus cases in Ukraine now account for the Delta variant.

"Infectious disease doctors talk about certain features of the Delta variant in Ukraine: an infected person may have symptoms for 7-8 days, and then oxygen saturation drops sharply from 92% to 70%. It's hard to save such people. They are connected to ventilators," Liashko said.