Coronavirus Pandemic Far From Over - WHO

By Staff, Agencies

Chief of the World Health Organization [WHO] Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned Monday that the new coronavirus crisis was far from over and said that he was "deeply concerned" about the impact of the disruption of normal health services, especially on children.

"The pandemic is far from over," said the WHO Director-General, adding that the body was concerned about increasing trends in Africa, eastern Europe, Latin America and some Asian countries. "We have a long road ahead of us and a lot of work to do," he said.

He added that shortages of vaccines against other diseases were being reported in 21 countries as a result of border restrictions linked to the pandemic, citing the GAVI global vaccine alliance.

"The number of malaria cases in sub-Saharan Africa could double," he said. "That doesn't have to happen. We are working with countries to support them.”

He also asserted that the organization had sounded the highest level of alarm over coronavirus early on, but lamented that not all countries had heeded its advice.

Tedros pointed out that the WHO warned the COVID-19 outbreak constituted a “'Public Health Emergency of International Concern” on Jan. 30, when there were only 82 cases registered outside China.

"The world should have listened to WHO then carefully," he told a virtual press briefing.