WHO Director-General: “Everywhere in the world must end”
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO). AP Yonhap News
The World Health Organization (WHO) on the 22nd (local time) urged countries to take unwavering response to quarantine and vaccinate, saying that the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) is not yet over.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at the opening speech of the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA) held in Geneva, Switzerland on the same day, “It is not over anywhere in the world unless it ends everywhere in the world. ” he said.
Secretary-General Tedros expressed great concern about the phenomenon, particularly the refusal to test for COVID-19. “The number of new confirmed cases is increasing in nearly 70 countries, but this is a remarkable phenomenon where the test rate has plummeted,” he said.
Secretary-General Tedros also cited the low rate of vaccination against COVID-19 in underdeveloped countries as one of the risk factors. According to statistics released by the WHO on that day, the global average vaccination rate is only 60%. Nearly one billion people in low-income countries are still unvaccinated. Only 57 countries in the world, mostly developed countries, achieved the target of an inoculation rate of 70% or more of the population.
In particular, Secretary-General Tedros expressed concern that the fatality rate is rising again in Africa, which has the lowest vaccination rate in recent years, and emphasized that all countries should achieve 70% vaccination rate as soon as possible. At the same time, he emphasized that 100% of the elderly, medical and health workers, and people with underlying diseases should be vaccinated without exception. “The pandemic will not magically disappear, but we can end it,” he said, calling for an even supply of vaccines worldwide.