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Reuters
The leader of the UN health agency (file photo) expressed concern for nations with vulnerable health systems.
The World Health Organization says it “wasted no time” responding to the coronavirus after being criticized for its management of the outbreak.
Her boss, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the WHO’s declaration of the virus as an international health emergency on January 30 gave “enough time for the rest of the world to respond.”
At the time there were only 82 cases outside of China and no deaths.
Today there are more than 3.2 million cases and 234,000 registered deaths worldwide.
United States President Donald Trump said the WHO “really blew” his response and accused him of bias towards China.
The United States is the largest single funder of the global health agency, and President Trump says he will suspend funding.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Dr. Tedros offered a vigorous defense of how the organization responded.
He insisted that the WHO used the time before the declaration wisely, including visiting China to learn more about the virus at its source.
Dr. Tedros confirmed that the pandemic was still a “public health emergency of international concern”, three months after one was declared.
This declaration is made under an “extraordinary” event and requires a global response.
Dr. Tedros described “serious” concerns about the potential impact of the virus as it accelerates in countries with weaker health systems.
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Authorities said they had seen troubling increases in several of these countries, including Haiti, Somalia and Sudan.
The WHO also urged caution among nations to relax their social distancing measures, stressing the importance of monitoring new leaps in infections as blockages are alleviated.
Dr. Tedros was also asked again about relations with the United States, insisting that the UN agency remained in “constant contact” with the country.
On Thursday, President Trump appeared to undermine his own intelligence agencies by suggesting that he had seen evidence that the coronavirus originated in a Chinese laboratory.
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WHO chief of emergencies Dr. Michael Ryan addressed the claim on Friday.
“Regarding the origins of the virus in Wuhan, we have heard time and time again from numerous scientists who have examined the (genetic) sequences, analyzed this virus, and we are sure that this virus is of natural origin.” said.
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Dr. Ryan also added that it was “important” to learn more about the animal host and understand how the virus leaped from animals to humans.
China rejected the laboratory theory and criticized the United States’ response to Covid-19.
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In other developments around the world:
- The world’s largest virus blockade, in India, has been extended for another two weeks.
- The United Nations warned that millions of children are at risk of losing vaccines due to the interruption of the pandemic
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The May Day demonstrations have taken place worldwide, but in a reduced or socially distant way.
- Ten US states USA They have partially reopened
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The UK government says it has met a target in the tests; the opposition has called the figures misleading
