A senior World Health Organization (WHO) official has warned of the risk of continued transmission of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) even after large-scale vaccinations in the foreseeable future.
Addressing a virtual press conference recently, Michael Ryan, executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, said that he doesn’t believe the world should start setting elimination or eradication of this virus as the bar for success.
Xinhua news agency quoted Ryan as saying “That is not the bar for success. The bar for success in reducing the capacity of this virus to kill, to put people in the hospital, to destroy our economic and social lives.”
Will Covid-19 Eventually Become An Endemic?
Asked whether Covid-19 will become an endemic, the executive director of WHO emphasised that “for the foreseeable future, the coverage of vaccines will not reach a point where it will stop transmission. So we’re likely to have continued transmission”.
“Don’t Expect To Get Rid Of Coronavirus By 2021”
Ryan reminded us that so far in human history “we’ve only ever eradicated one disease on this planet: Noting that countries should probably not expect to get rid of the virus by 2021, smallpox”. He further added, ”We have to reach a point where we’re in control of the virus”.
The global coronavirus caseload was nearing the 100 million mark warned Ryan.
The Johns Hopkins University revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 99,660,483 and 2,138,299, respectively, in its latest update on Tuesday morning.
India Fights Covid-19
On Tuesday, India reported 9,102 fresh coronavirus cases in a day, the lowest in around eight months, as the infection tally reached 1,06,76,838, according to Union Health Ministry data.
During the same period, 117 fatalities were recorded, also the lowest in over eight months, taking the death toll to 1,53,587.
Of the total coronavirus-related deaths reported so far in the country, Maharashtra registered 50,815 fatalities, Tamil Nadu 12,320, Karnataka 12,200, Delhi 10,813, West Bengal 10,122, Uttar Pradesh 8,624, and Andhra Pradesh 7,149.
The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.
The ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation “Our figures are being reconciled with the ICMR.”