“This pandemic is far from over”, warned this Wednesday (9) the director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), almost two years after saying the word that astonished the whole world about the seriousness of the health crisis caused. by the coronavirus. On January 19, amid the explosion of infections of the omicron variant, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus used the same words.
“This Friday will be two years since we said that the spread of Covid-19 in the world could be described as a pandemic,” he said, at a press conference, still virtual, in Geneva.
The WHO chief did not fail to recall that six weeks earlier, “when only 100 cases were reported outside China and no deaths”, he had declared the highest level of health alert at the WHO – a public health emergency of international concern.
This classification, however, did not achieve its immediate effects. Instead, the organization was later criticized for taking too long to act against the impending disaster.
“Two years later, more than 6 million people died,” said Ghebreyesus.
Although the WHO has indicated for some time that the number of infections and deaths is decreasing, “this pandemic is far from over and will not end anywhere if we do not get it everywhere”, emphasized the highest representative of the institution.
The WHO has seen very strong growth in the Western Pacific region, although globally the number of new infections and deaths has fallen by 5% and 8%, respectively, according to the epidemiological report, published weekly.
“The virus continues to evolve and we continue to face major obstacles to getting vaccines, tests and treatments wherever they are needed,” insisted Ghebreyesus.
The WHO is concerned that several countries have drastically reduced their tests used to detect new variants.
“This prevents us from seeing where the virus is, how it spreads and how it evolves,” warned Ghebreyesus.
It is worth remembering that the testing strategy in South Africa allowed the omicron strain to be identified quickly in late November 2021.
Chad-98Weaver, a distinguished author at NewsBulletin247, excels in the craft of article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a penchant for storytelling, Chad delivers informative and engaging content that resonates with readers across various subjects. His contributions are a testament to his dedication and expertise in the field of journalism.
