By Gom Mirian
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that Covid-19 is no longer considered a ‘global health emergency,’ and warned that the removal of the highest-level alert does not mean the danger of the virus was over.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO, who disclosed this at a media briefing in Geneva, Friday said the emergency status could be reinstated if the situation changed.
Ghebreyesus stated that the decision was not taken lightly, saying over the past year the WHO-led emergency committee has carefully scrutinized the data, on the right time to sound the alarm.
He said: “The WHO’s coronavirus dashboard which compiles key statistics since the start of the pandemic, cumulative cases worldwide now stand at 765,222,932, with nearly seven million deaths (the precise figure currently stands at 6,921,614). Adding that as of April 30, a total of more than 13.3 billion doses of vaccine have been administered worldwide.
“The pandemic had exposed political fault lines, within and between nations. It has eroded trust between people, governments, and institutions, fueled by a torrent of misinformation and disinformation.
But on another level, it’s a moment of reflection, as COVID-19 continues to leave ‘deep scars on our world’. These scars should serve as a permanent reminder of the possible emergence of new viruses, with devastating consequences.
“We have to promise ourselves and our children and grandchildren that we will never make these mistakes again,” he said. “This experience should change us all for the better. This should make us more determined to achieve the vision that nations had when they founded the WHO in 1948: the highest attainable standard of health, for all,” he said
