WHO says COVID-19 pandemic may turn into endemic, warns against lifting restrictions
Coronavirus may be here to stay. World Health Organisation Executive Director Michael J Ryan has said that the novel coronavirus that has infected over 4.3 million people worldwide might turn from a pandemic to an endemic.
An endemic is a disease or a condition, regularly found and very common among a particular group.
"WHO executive director says Coronavirus may never go away. HIV has not gone away," Dr Ryan was quoted as saying by CNN.
"I am not comparing the two diseases but i think it is important that we are realistic. I do not think anyone can predict when or if this disease will disappear," Ryan added.
Ryan further stated that lifting coronavirus restrictions while the number of cases is still high could lead to renewed massive transmission of the virus.
"If you an get the day-to-day number to the lowest possible level and get as much virus out of the community as possible, then you open, you will tend to have less transmission or much less risk. If you reopen in the presence of a high degree of virus transmission, then that transmission may accelerate," Russian news agency quoted Ryan as saying.
Coronavirus cases worldwide currently stand at 4,429,232 while death toll is closing in on 300,000.
