1 person dying every 44 seconds due to Covid infection: WHO chief

As the world embarks on living a normal life post the pandemic amid declining cases, the WHO has warned that one person with Covid-19 is still dying every 44 seconds globally

As the world embarks on living a normal life post the pandemic amid declining cases, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that one person with Covid-19 is still dying every 44 seconds globally.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director General, said that this virus will not just fade away.

"The global decline in reported cases and deaths is continuing. This is very encouraging. But there is no guarantee these trends will persist. The most dangerous thing is to assume they will," he said in his latest remarks.

"The number of weekly reported deaths may have dropped by more than 80 per cent since February, but even so, last week one person died with Covid-19 every 44 seconds," Ghebreyesus said during his regular briefing.

"Most of those deaths are avoidable. You might be tired of hearing me say the pandemic is not over. But I will keep saying it until it is. This virus will not just fade away," he added.

WHO will publish a set of six short policy briefs next week, outlining the essential actions that all governments can take to reduce transmission and save lives.

The briefs will cover the essential elements of testing, clinical management, vaccination, infection prevention and control, risk communication and community engagement, and managing the infodemic.

"We hope countries will use these briefs to reassess and readjust their policies to protect those most at risk, treat those who need it and save lives. The pandemic is always evolving, and so must the response, in every country," said the WHO chief.

On monkeypox, he said that the WHO is continuing to see a downward trend in Europe.

"While reported cases from the Americas also declined last week, it's harder to draw firm conclusions about the epidemic in that region," said Ghebreyesus.

A total of 52,997 people have been infected with the monkeypox virus, according to the WHO.

Of the cases registered in the last four weeks, 70.7 per cent came from the Americas and 28.3 per cent from Europe.

--IANS

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