Opening up societies too quickly amid COVID-19 pandemic 'recipe for disaster': WHO chief
Geneva: The head of the World Health Organisation has warned that opening up societies too quickly amid the coronavirus pandemic is a "recipe for disaster".
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday insisted that countries that are serious about opening up must also be serious about suppressing transmission.
He said that is not an impossible balance".
Tedros cited four key points that countries, communities and individuals should focus on: preventing amplifying events as the virus thrives on clusters; protecting vulnerable groups; people taking steps individually to protect themselves; and finding, isolating, testing and caring for cases, while tracing and quarantining their contacts.
The WHO chief said 90 per cent of countries that responded in a new survey reported fallout from COVID-19 on the provision of other health care services.
A total of 105 countries responded to the survey aimed at assessing the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on strained health systems, notably in low- and middle-income countries.
Tedros said the survey, covering five regions between March and June, exposed the need for better preparation for health emergencies like the current pandemic.
The survey found that routine immunization and outreach services were among the most affected, with 70% of countries reporting disruptions, followed closely by the diagnosis and treatment of non-communicable diseases like cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Nearly a quarter of countries that responded reported disruptions to emergency services.
WHO cautioned about some limitations about the study, including differences in the phases of the outbreak that countries were experiencing.
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T20 World Cup: India beat WI by five wickets to seal semifinal spot
Kolkata (PTI): Sanju Samson struck a magnificent unbeaten 97 as India beat West Indies by five wickets in a must-win Super 8 clash to book their semifinal berth at the T20 World Cup, here on Sunday.
Asked to bat first, West Indies posted a competitive 195 for four, riding on contributions from Roston Chase (40), Shai Hope (32), Jason Holder (37 not out) and Rovman Powell (34 not out).
In reply, Samson produced a chasing masterclass, hammering 12 fours and four sixes in his scintillating 50-ball knock as India overhauled the target with four balls to spare.
He found solid support in Tilak Varma (27), Suryakumar Yadav (18) and Hardik Pandya (17), who ensured there were no late hiccups.
Jasprit Bumrah (2/36) was the pick of the Indian bowlers with two crucial wickets, while Jason Holder (2/38) and Shamar Joseph (2/42) also claimed two scalps for West Indies.
Brief score:
West Indies: 195 for 4 in 20 overs (Roston Chase 40; Jasprit Bumrag 2/36).
India: 199 for 5 in 19.2 overs (Sanju Samson 97 not out; Jason Holder 2/38).
