Seize the opportunity, COVID's end in sight: WHO chief

According to a statement by the World Health Organisation on Wednesday (September 14), the number of newly reported COVID cases has dropped dramatically, making this the right time to seize the opportunity to end the pandemic.

Newly reported COVID cases have fallen to their lowest since March 2022, said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “We have never been in a better position to end the pandemic. We are not there yet, but the end is in sight,” he added.

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According to the WHO chief, the world needs the seize this opportunity because a failure to do so would create risk of more variants, more deaths, more disruption and more uncertainty.

WHO’s latest epidemiological report on COVID shows that the number of reported COVID cases has fallen by 28 per cent to reach 3.1 million during the week ending September 11. This follows a drop by 12 per cent during the week ending September 4.

An underestimate of COVID cases

According to the WHO, many countries have cut down on testing due to which the less serious cases are not getting detected.

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The WHO technical lead on COVID Maria Van Kerkhove told the media: “The number of cases that are being reported to WHO we know are an underestimate. We feel that far more cases are actually circulating than are being reported to us.”

She cautioned that the virus is circulating at a very intense level around the world at the present time.

WHO’s six policy briefs

The WHO on Wednesday (September 14) published six policy briefs to help countries put an end to the COVID pandemic.

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The WHO recommends countries to keep up testing and sequencing for the virus and to vaccinate 100 per cent the most at-risk groups like health workers and the elderly.

“These policy briefs are an urgent call for governments to take a hard look at their policies and strengthen them for COVID and future pathogens with pandemic potential,” said Tedros.

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“We can end this pandemic together but only if all countries, manufacturers, communities and individuals step up and seize this opportunity,” he added.