Covid-19 is not the largest, it is a wake-up call: a WHO official issues a warning


WHO’s emergency chief Michael Ryan has issued a warning saying the Covid-19 pandemic, which has killed more than 17 lakh people worldwide so far, “is not necessarily the biggest” and it’s more of a wake-up call.

COVID-19 pandemic

More than 17 lakh people have died from Covid-19 around the world so far. (Reuters)

WHO’s emergency chief Michael Ryan has sounded a warning saying that the Covid-19 pandemic, which has killed more than 17 lakh people worldwide so far, “is not necessarily the biggest” And it’s more of a wake-up call.

“This is a wake-up call,” WHO emergency chief Michael Ryan told reporters at a briefing.

“It has spread around the world extremely fast and has affected every corner of this planet, but this is not necessarily the largest,” Ryan said.

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought some of the world’s richest nations to their knees over the past year and continues to plague the world with a total of more than 8 million reported cases globally.

During an online briefing, Ryan said: “This pandemic has been very serious. It has spread throughout the world extremely rapidly and has affected every corner of this planet. But this is not necessarily the biggest. This virus is highly communicable and kills people, and has deprived so many of their loved ones, but its current fatality is reasonably low compared to other emerging diseases. This is a wake-up call. “