Coronavirus pandemic may be over within two years-head of WHO
On 22nd August 2020, The World Health Organization (WHO) head says he's hoping the coronavirus pandemic will be over in less than two years. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus speaking in Geneva said the 1918 Spanish flu had taken two years to conquer. But he added that current technological advances could allow the world to stop the virus "in a shorter time" "Of course, the virus has a better chance of spreading, with more connectivity," he said.
"But we do have the capacity to stop it and the intelligence to stop it at the same time," he said, emphasizing the value of "cultural unity, global solidarity." At least 50 million people died from the 1918 flu.
Coronavirus has had 800,000 people killed so far. Nearly 23 million infections have been reported but due to poor testing and asymptomatic cases, the number of people who actually had the virus is believed to be much higher.
Prof. Sir Mark Walport, a member of the UK 's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage)-said on 22nd August 2020 that Covid-19 "goes to be with us forever in some way or other". In Geneva, Dr Tedros said corruption related to personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies was "unacceptable" during the pandemic, describing it as "murder."
"We 're risking their lives if health workers work without PPE, and that's also risking the lives of the people they represent," he said, in answer to a request. While the problem concerned allegations of corruption in South Africa, similar concerns have been faced by a number of countries. Protests were held in the Kenyan capital Nairobi on Friday over alleged corruption during the pandemic, while doctors from a number of public hospitals in the city went on strike over unpaid salaries and lack of protective equipment.
The same day, the head of the WHO's emergency health system warned that the severity of Mexico's coronavirus epidemic was "clearly underrecognized."
Dr. Mike Ryan said approximately three people per 100,000 were being screened in Mexico compared to approximately 150 people per 100,000 in the U.S. According to Johns Hopkins University, Mexico has the third-highest death toll in the world, with nearly 60,000 deaths recorded since the pandemic began.
In the US, Democratic candidate Joe Biden vowed to enforce a nationwide requirement for wearing masks if elected, and criticized the treatment of the pandemic by President Donald Trump. "In his most fundamental responsibility to the country , the new president's failed. He has failed to protect us. He has failed to protect America," Mr. Biden said. Last Friday more than 1,000 additional deaths were confirmed in the US taking the total number of deaths to 173,490.
