The World Health Organisation (WHO) has expressed deep concerns over what it described as a rapid escalation and global spread of Covid-19 (Coronavirus) disease as cases nears one million.
The coronavirus pandemic is currently affecting 203 countries and territories around the world and 2 international conveyances.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of WHO speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, said the world had witnessed a near-exponential growth in the number of new cases, reaching almost every country, territory and area.
The WHO DG said the number of deaths has more than doubled in the past week and will reach 1 million confirmed cases, and 50,000 deaths in the next few days.
“As we enter the fourth month since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, I am deeply concerned about the rapid escalation of the infection.
“Over the past 5 weeks, we have witnessed a near-exponential growth in the number of new cases, reaching almost every country, territory and area,” Ghebreyesus said.
While relatively lower numbers of confirmed cases have been reported from Africa, and from Central and South America, Ghebreyesus noted that COVID-19 could have serious social, economic and political consequences for these regions.
“It is critical that we ensure these countries are well equipped to detect, test, isolate and treat cases, and identify contacts. I am encouraged to see that this is occurring in many countries, despite limited resources,” he said.
Ghebreyesus noted that countries are already asking people to stay at home and shutting down population movement, which can help to limit transmission of the virus, but said it can have unintended consequences for the poorest and most vulnerable people.
He reiterated his call on governments to put in place social welfare measures to ensure vulnerable people have food and other life essentials during this crisis.
“In India, for example, Prime Minister Modi has announced a $24 billion package, including free food rations for 800 million disadvantaged people, cash transfers to 204 million poor women and free cooking gas for 80 million households for the next 3 months,” Ghebreyesus said.
He noted that many developing countries will struggle to implement social welfare programs of this nature.
‘For those countries, debt relief is essential to enable them to take care of their people and avoid economic collapse.
“This is a call from WHO, the World Bank and the IMF debt relief for developing countries,” he said.
