ZURICH (Reuters):
The quantity of new coronavirus infections globally rose final week for the initially time in seven weeks, the World Health Organization stated on Monday.
“We need to have a stern warning for all of us: that this virus will rebound if we let it,” Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO technical lead for COVID-19, told a briefing. “And we cannot let it.”
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated the rise in instances was “disappointing but not surprising” and urged nations not to loosen up measures to fight the illness.
It was also early for nations to rely solely on vaccination programmes and abandon other measures, he stated: “If countries rely solely on vaccines, they are making a mistake. Basic public health measures remain the foundation of the response.”
Tedros noted that Ghana and Ivory Coast became the initially nations on Monday to commence vaccinating persons with doses supplied by COVAX, the international programme to provide vaccines for poor and middle-earnings nations.
But he also criticised wealthy nations for hoarding vaccine doses, saying that it was in everyone’s interest for vulnerable persons to be protected about the planet.
“It’s regrettable that some countries continue to prioritise vaccinating younger healthier adults at lower risk of diseases in their own populations, ahead of health workers and older people elsewhere,” Tedros stated.
Mike Ryan, the WHO’s major emergency specialist, stated the worldwide fight against the coronavirus was in a improved state now than it was 10 weeks ago just before the roll-outs of vaccines had begun. But it was also early to say the virus was coming below manage.
“The issue is of us being in control of the virus and the virus being in control of us. And right now the virus is very much in control.”