Follow Us on Google News
GENEVA: World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has expressed concerns that COVID-19 is 10 times more deadly than swine flu.
While urging the world leaders to slowly lift the lockdown as part of tightening measures to curb the virus from spreading, WHO chief said, “We know that COVID-19 spreads fast, and we know that it is deadly, 10 times more deadly than the swine flu, which caused a global pandemic in 2009.”
He said that a safe and effective vaccine would be needed to fully halt the spread of COVID-19, which has killed more than 114,000 people worldwide. “Our global connectedness means the risk of re-introduction and resurgence of COVID-19 will continue,” Tedros Adhanom said.
He further added, “Ultimately, the development and delivery of a safe and effective vaccine will be needed to fully interrupt transmission.” He earlier warned countries to be cautious about lifting restrictions introduced to curb the spread of the COVID-19 as lifting restrictions too early could lead to a deadly resurgence.
It is pertinent to remember that the global death toll from the novel coronavirus climbed over 119,600 with record 780 deaths in the last 24 hours. More than 1.9 million declared cases have been registered in 200 countries and territories since the epidemic first emerged in China in December. At least 423,625 are now considered recovered.
Read more: Please don’t politicise coronavirus: WHO head