The Directorate of Health
COVID-19: Five Years On
30th January 2025
Just over five years ago, the first cases of pneumonia with an unknown cause were reported in Wuhan, China. This marked the beginning of a pandemic that would profoundly affect global health, economies, and welfare.
At its peak in 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) received reports of 100,000 COVID-19-related deaths each week. Meanwhile, the number of weekly reported cases surged to over 20 million in early 2022, driven by the emergence of the Omicron variant.
Since 2020, at least 7 million COVID-19 deaths have been officially reported to the WHO, although the true death toll is estimated to be at least three times higher.
The full impact of the pandemic remains to be fully understood. However, it is crucial to draw lessons from this experience and ensure we are better prepared for future pandemics.
The Chief Epidemiologist