Third, fourth, fifth wave of the pandemic. Why the discrepancy in the numbering?

The third wave of the pandemic is behind us – this sentence has been changed recently by all cases. Have we actually seen three peak incidence in Poland? Or maybe just two? Spain, on the other hand, is currently experiencing the fifth wave of the coronavirus. Where does this discrepancy come from.

1. It has been accepted that the coronavirus pandemic has had three waves so far. The first one started in spring 2020, the second one in the fall, and the third one took place this spring
2. But it really is different in different places. There are too many different factors for a pandemic to be the same everywhere
3. Anyway, the World Health Organization had doubts last year. Some of its experts believed that there was no second wave, because we were dealing with “one big wave” all the time.
4. Polish specialists are also not unanimous in counting coronavirus waves
5. Let’s check what the COVID-19 waves looked like in different parts of the world
6. You can find more such stories on the Onet homepage.

Coronavirus in the world. How many waves were there? Two, three or maybe four?

The coronavirus pandemic in the world began in the world in March last year. Since then, slower or faster, the number of new cases has steadily increased, with the first clear peak peaking in January. It was only in the middle of the first month of this year that there was a clear decrease in the incidence of COVID-19. The drops lasted until the end of February.

In early March, the coronavirus attacked with renewed force. Another increase in the incidence, with a peak in April / May, is commonly referred to as the third wave. However, when you look at the graph showing the course of COVID-19 around the world, you can see that the covid storm only achieved two distinct maximum moments.

The beginning of the pandemic is of course considered to be the first, but the stubborn wave can also be seen as a clear rising wave in June and July last year. Then we can already speak of four coronavirus waves worldwide.

This is confirmed by the chart on deaths. Four waves, two of which are very serious.

Coronavirus in Poland – the third or second wave behind us?

The dramatic increase in COVID-19 infections in Poland at the turn of March and April is known as the “third wave”, and the next, inevitable, will be the “fourth”. However, some specialists in our country believe that calling the last summit the third summit is unfounded. One of them is prof. Robert Flisiak.

– What third wave? There was no second, I believe. Please take a look at any disease chart in Poland. What we knew last spring was just a prelude – said Prof. Flisiak.

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The virologist Dr. Tomasz Dzieśćtkowski was of a similar opinion. – In Poland, it is difficult to talk about the second wave, because we did not notice a clear decrease in infections after the first wave. While in most European countries we can talk about the second wave, we do not – he said in the autumn in the program “Onet Rano”.

In fact, if we look at the history of the coronavirus in Poland, it is impossible to find three waves. The beginning of the pandemic was very mild in our country, and the first outbreak took place at the turn of October and November.

Deaths caused by the coronavirus were a derivative of COVID-19 cases. In this case, it is also impossible to disagree with the experts mentioned. Only two distinct peaks are visible.

So, in fact, in Poland we dealt with two waves, but for the sake of unifying the terminology with the rest of the world, and perhaps a little for the sake of peace, it is customary to talk about three waves.

How does it look in other countries?

Coronavirus in Great Britain – third wave just getting started?

The UK is one of the most coronavirus-hit countries in Europe. It ranks second behind Our Country in terms of the number of infections and deaths. It is also the place where the two most famous variants – Alpha and Delta – began their conquest of our continent.

1. The Delta variant reaches more countries. Where is the most difficult situation?

The British are now trying to contain the new spike in infections caused by the latter strain. Which wave is it in the country? At least three. Two were very clear, last fall and this January. And when you consider the first, relatively small (although it caused a large number of deaths), it is even a fourth.

South Africa – there were actually three waves

There are countries, mainly outside Europe, where one can clearly speak of three waves. This includes South Africa. In South Africa, the coronavirus appeared a little later than on our continent and it spread immediately. The first wave was not a “wave”, as in Poland or Great Britain, but solid growth.

1. What to do to prevent the Delta variant from triggering another lockdown? Experts call for the application of the seven principles

The first cases of COVID-19 were reported in South Africa in March, rising steadily until July. The next peak in the incidence was in January, the third is now. At the beginning of July, the local health ministry informed about over 20. new infections – record numbers since the start of the pandemic.

Spain – “the fifth wave of coronavirus is ahead of us”

Spain is yet another country facing a new wave of COVID-19 cases. Reason? The same as in the case of Great Britain or Israel, i.e. the Delta variant. In Spain, despite vaccination with the first dose, more than 60 percent. citizens, there are currently several thousand infections a day. Delta, according to data collected by GISAID, is responsible there for over 40 percent. new cases.

1. They lifted the mask order, today there is a fifth wave threat. What’s going on in Spain?

Experts and the media define the current situation as the fifth wave. And when was it four?

Let’s take a look at the incidence chart in this country. It looks completely different than in Poland, it also differs from the British one. You can see four increases in the incidence, two of which were very clear – the same as in the case of Great Britain, took place in the fall and in January. But there is also clearly a much higher number of COVID-19 cases at the start of the pandemic and a slight increase in April this year.

Taiwan – the pandemic is just beginning

Finally, the example of a country that is currently struggling with… the first wave of a pandemic. This is Taiwan. The first cases of the coronavirus were registered there last March, but the virus was suppressed quickly and efficiently. For long. Until May this year, several dozen COVID-19 cases were registered there daily. In total, about 14 people fell ill during the first 1200 months of the pandemic, and 12 died.

1. Malta has a record percentage of fully vaccinated people. Twice more than Poland

The pandemic suddenly broke out in mid-May, the number of infections began to exceed 500, but fortunately the situation has already been brought under control. The average number of cases over the past few days had dropped back to 50.

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