GENEVA: The World Health Organization chief of emergencies said Monday that his “best estimates” indicate that roughly 1 in 10 people worldwide may have been infected by the coronavirus, more than 20 times the number of cases. confirmed, and warned of a difficult period. ahead.
Dr. Michael Ryan, in a special session of the WHO 34-member executive board focused on COVID-19, said that the numbers vary from urban to rural areas and between different groups, but that ultimately means that “The vast majority of the world remains at risk.”
He said the pandemic will continue to evolve, but there are tools to suppress transmission and save lives.
“Many deaths have been prevented and many more lives can be protected,” Ryan said. He was flanked by his boss, the Director General of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who minutes before led a moment of silence to honor the victims and a round of applause. for the healthcare workers who have worked to save them.
Ryan said Southeast Asia was facing an increase in cases, Europe and the eastern Mediterranean were seeing an increase in deaths, while situations in Africa and the western Pacific were “considerably more positive.”
“Our current best estimates tell us that around 10 percent of the world’s population may have been infected with this virus,” Ryan told aides from member governments who make up the executive board and provide much of its funding.
The estimate, which would amount to more than 760 million people based on a current world population of around 7.6 billion, far exceeds the number of confirmed cases accounted for by both the WHO and Johns Hopkins University, now more than 35 millions around the world.
Experts have long said that the number of confirmed cases greatly underestimates the true figure.
The comments came during a special session of the executive board to consider the follow-up to its previous meeting, in May, which passed a resolution to look at the world’s, and WHO, response to the pandemic. Ryan warned that the world “is now heading into a difficult period. The disease continues to spread. It is increasing in many parts of the world.”
Dr. Michael Ryan, in a special session of the WHO 34-member executive board focused on COVID-19, said that the numbers vary from urban to rural areas and between different groups, but that ultimately means that “The vast majority of the world remains at risk.”
He said the pandemic will continue to evolve, but there are tools to suppress transmission and save lives.
“Many deaths have been prevented and many more lives can be protected,” Ryan said. He was flanked by his boss, the Director General of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who minutes before led a moment of silence to honor the victims and a round of applause. for the healthcare workers who have worked to save them.
Ryan said Southeast Asia was facing an increase in cases, Europe and the eastern Mediterranean were seeing an increase in deaths, while situations in Africa and the western Pacific were “considerably more positive.”
“Our current best estimates tell us that around 10 percent of the world’s population may have been infected with this virus,” Ryan told aides from member governments who make up the executive board and provide much of its funding.
The estimate, which would amount to more than 760 million people based on a current world population of around 7.6 billion, far exceeds the number of confirmed cases accounted for by both the WHO and Johns Hopkins University, now more than 35 millions around the world.
Experts have long said that the number of confirmed cases greatly underestimates the true figure.
The comments came during a special session of the executive board to consider the follow-up to its previous meeting, in May, which passed a resolution to look at the world’s, and WHO, response to the pandemic. Ryan warned that the world “is now heading into a difficult period. The disease continues to spread. It is increasing in many parts of the world.”
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