The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the worst could be still to come as far as the coronavirus pandemic is concerned.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the novel coronavirus would infect more and more people if governments fail to start implementing the right policies.
His message was clear, “Test, Trace, Isolate and Quarantine.”
Globally, the virus has affected more than 10 million people and killed over 508,000 since the outbreak emerged in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.
In the United States, officials have reported more than 2.6 million confirmed cases, with over 128,000 deaths.
The virus has also been affecting the UK, Brazil, South Asia, and Africa, where the outbreak is not expected to peak at least until the end of July.
Through a virtual conference, Dr. Tedros said, “We all want this to be over. We all want to get on with our lives. But the hard reality is this is not even close to being over.”
“Although many countries have made some progress, globally the pandemic is actually speeding up,” he added.
Dr. Tedros continued, “With 10 million cases now and half a million deaths, unless we address the problems we’ve already identified at WHO, the lack of national unity and lack of global solidarity and the divided world which is actually helping the virus to spread… the worst is yet to come.”
“I’m sorry to say that, but with this kind of environment and conditions we fear the worst,” he added.
The WHO head also urged governments to follow the examples of Japan, South Korea, and Germany, which have been keeping their outbreak in check through strict policies such as rigorous tracing and testing.
In the United States, the officials have reported a recent surge in new cases in some states, notably in Texas and Florida, due to Memorial Day gatherings and large protests. The spike has led public health officials across the nation to tighten restrictions on reopening businesses again.
On Monday, Brasilia health officials declared a state of public emergency after a sudden surge there. Like most states in the US, Brasilia eased social distancing measures earlier this month and allowed businesses to reopen.
In the UK, the nation with the greatest number of deaths in Western Europe, Leicester mayor said restaurants and pubs might stay closed for a couple of weeks due to a sudden spike in new cases. In the rest of England, restrictions are due to be eased by the end of this week, with restaurants, pubs, hairdressers, and hotels allowed to reopen their businesses.
