COVID-19 pandemic 'a long way from over', says WHO chief
United Nations: Even though more than 780 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have now been administered globally, the pandemic is "a long way from over" but it can be brought under control in months with proven public health measures, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said.
The coronavirus, which emerged first in central China's Wuhan city in December 2019, has infected more than 136,500,400 people and killed over 2,944,500 people across the world.
In January and February, the world saw six consecutive weeks of declining cases. We have now seen seven consecutive weeks of increasing cases, and four weeks of increasing deaths. Last week was the fourth-highest number of cases in a single week so far. Several countries in Asia and the Middle East have seen large increases in cases, WHO Director-General Ghebreyesus said.
Speaking to reporters in Geneva, he said while more than 780 million doses of vaccine have now been administered globally, vaccines are a powerful tool but not the only tool.
Physical distancing works. Masks work. Hand hygiene works. Ventilation works. Surveillance, testing, contact tracing, isolation, supportive quarantine and compassionate care they all work to stop infections and save lives, he added.
He voiced concern that confusion, complacency and inconsistency in public health measures and their application are driving transmission and costing lives. Cautioning that the disease is not flu, he said young, healthy people have died from the coronavirus.
And we still don't fully understand the long-term consequences of infection for those who survive. Some people appear to be taking the approach that if they are relatively young, it doesn't matter if they get COVID-19.
Warning that the pandemic is a long way from over, Ghebreyesus said the world has many reasons for optimism.
The decline in cases and deaths during the first two months of the year shows that this virus and its variants can be stopped.
With a concerted effort to apply public health measures alongside equitable vaccination, we could bring this pandemic under control in a matter of months, he said adding that whether we do or not comes down to the decisions and the actions that governments and individuals make every day. The choice is ours.
The top WHO official noted that currently, global manufacturing is insufficient to deliver quick, equitable vaccines and other essential health products. Tedros stressed the importance of investing in sustainable and secure domestic manufacturing capacity and national regulatory authorities , asserted that what can be done today, should be done today .
Noting that WHO and its partners have established a COVAX manufacturing taskforce, to increase supply and build a sustainable vaccine manufacturing platform, he said the UN agency's technical assistance is available in assessing the feasibility of local production and to access technology and know-how.
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Teen dies in car stunt accident in Kerala, driver held
Thrissur (Kerala) (PTI): A man was arrested on Monday after a 14-year-old boy was killed when a car overturned during a stunt-driving incident at Chamakala Rajiv Road beach in Chentrappinni here, police said.
The arrested accused was identified as Shajeer alias Saddam (36), a native of Kurikkuzhi in Kaipamangalam.
According to police, the incident occurred around 6 pm on Sunday when the accused allegedly performed dangerous drifting manoeuvres with an open-top Gypsy vehicle at the beach, without following any safety norms.
The accused picked up three minors — Mohammed Sinan (14), Mohammed Shafeer (14) and Ameer (12) — who were playing at the beach, and made them sit at the rear of the vehicle before driving recklessly.
While performing the drifting stunt, the vehicle went out of control and overturned, trapping Sinan underneath.
He suffered severe head injuries and succumbed to the impact, police said.
Based on a complaint, Kaipamangalam police registered a case under Section 105 (culpable homicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
After completing the preliminary probe, police arrested Shajeer on Monday.
He was later produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody, police said.
The accused is involved in 11 criminal cases.
