- Home
- Miscellaneous
- WHO chief says pandemic at 'critical juncture,' health emergency could end this year
WHO Chief Says Pandemic At 'critical Juncture,' Health Emergency Could End This Year
Umer Jamshaid Published January 24, 2022 | 07:30 PM
UNITED NATIONS, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Jan, 2022 ) :The coronavirus pandemic has reached at "critical juncture," and if nations work together the global health emergency can end this year, the World Health Organization's chief said Monday.
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it is dangerous to assume that omicron will be the last variant, or that we're "in the endgame." Tedros said that 85% of the African population has not received even one dose of vaccine.
"Vaccines alone are not the golden ticket out of the pandemic," Tedros said. "But there is no path out unless we achieve our shared target of vaccinating 70% of the population of every country by the middle of this year." The pandemic has shown that the world must elevate protecting and promoting health as a top priority, Tedros said.
"Health is not a by-product of development, an outcome of prosperous societies, a footnote of history," he said. "It's the beat, the foundation, the essential ingredient without which no society can flourish." Tedros, who was addressing the WHO's executive board in Geneva, said since the omicron variant was identified just nine weeks ago, more than 80 million Covid cases had been reported to the WHO � more than reported in the whole of 2020.
Last week, on average 100 cases were reported to the WHO every three seconds, Tedros added, and someone lost their life to the virus every 12 seconds.
While cases have been surging, Tedros noted that the "explosion" in cases had not been matched by a surge in deaths, although fatalities were rising in all regions, particularly in Africa where countries were struggling to access vaccines.
"It is dangerous to assume that omicron will be the last variant or that we're in the endgame," Tedros warned. "On the contrary, globally the conditions are ideal for more variants to emerge. To change the course of the pandemic, we must change the conditions that are driving it." He added that the world cannot "gamble on a virus whose evolution we cannot control or predict."Last week, another top WHO official warned that even though the spread of omicron cases was slowing in some countries, high infection rates around the world would likely lead to new variants by allowing the virus to mutate.
Recent Stories
HEC reviews curricula for environmental sciences degree programme
ICC Asia looking forward to an action-packed Asia Cricket Week
Yuvraj Singh named ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Ambassador
Greece hands Olympic flame to 2024 Paris Games hosts
Two Kyiv hospitals evacuating over feared Russian strikes
World must act on neurotech revolution, say experts
Charles & Catherine's cancer diagnoses
Champions Alcaraz and Sabalenka through in Madrid Open
King Charles to resume some public duties during cancer treatment: palace
US defense chief announces $6 bn in security aid for Ukraine
Heavy rains cause damage to Spezand-Taftan railway track
Woman stabbed in Israel, attacker killed: police
More Stories From Miscellaneous
-
Modern Education Techniques: A pathway to achieve economic development
22 hours ago -
Kite Flying: From cultural festival to deadly sport
22 hours ago -
PDMA predicts gusty wind, rain with thunder, hails
4 days ago -
Iranian president Raisi given guard of honour at PM House
5 days ago -
Intellectuals, writers accolades Naseer Mirza on his literary contribution
5 days ago -
Bahawalpur Adabi Sangat hosts memorable mushaira
6 days ago
-
Cattle farming vital to alleviate poverty in rural areas
6 days ago -
Pakistan: A land of tourism, archeological wonders
6 days ago -
Transforming education sector: from job hunters to job creators
8 days ago -
Amjad Bobby remembered on 19th death anniversary for timeless contributions to music
12 days ago -
Legendary actor Nadeem’s 26 films released on Eid-ul-Fitr days in 50 years
13 days ago -
Besant Hall Cultural Centre to celebrate evening with Sanam Marvi on 26 April
13 days ago