Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, the World Health Organization’s technical lead on the COVID-19 response, said Friday that the agency is urging countries to strengthen their surveillance and reporting of COVID-19 amid a spike in the number of cases in countries in the northern hemisphere, where peak respiratory season is normally during winter. Van Kerkhove said it is concerning to see so many cases, especially as countries deal with other pressing issues – such as health impacts from wildfires and extreme heat.
