WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu has warned that “the worst is yet ahead of us” in the coronavirus outbreak, raising new alarm bells about the pandemic just as many countries are beginning to ease restrictive measures.
However, he didn’t specify exactly why he believes that the outbreak that has infected nearly 2.5 million people and killed over 166,000, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University, could get worse. Some people, though, have pointed to the likely future spread of the illness through Africa, where health systems are far less developed.
Tedros alluded to the so-called Spanish flu in 1918 as a reference for the coronavirus outbreak.
Tedros’s comments come as President Trump has ordered the halt of funding to WHO, citing missteps in how the organization dealt with the pandemic. The move is supported by some conservatives but was met with blowback from others, including business groups and Democrats.
Mr. Tedros said ending the disease will require a sustained effort from individuals, communities and Governments to continue suppressing and controlling the deadly new coronavirus.
“So-called lockdowns can help to take the heat out of a country’s epidemic, but they cannot end it alone,” he added. “Countries must now ensure they can detect, test, isolate and care for every case, and trace every contact”.
WHO has repeatedly prioritized the ramping up of production and distribution of COVID-19 tests.
As of Monday, there were more than 2.3 million cases of the disease globally.
Mr. Tedros reported on efforts to identify and validate five diagnostic tests together with partners the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) and the Clinton Health Access Initiative.
WHO will order 30 million tests over the next four months, with the first shipments starting next week through the recently established UN Supply Chain.