COVID-19: World Health Organisation (WHO) on Thursday (May 5) declared an end to COVID-19 as a public health emergency of international concern. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, made the announcement while addressing a media briefing on Covid-19 and global health issues. However, the WHO said the emergency phase was over but the pandemic hasn’t come to an end.
"I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency"
"It's therefore with great hope that I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency. However, that does not mean COVID-19 is over as a global health threat," he said.
The UN health agency said that thousands of people are still dying from the virus every week. "Last week, COVID-19 claimed a life every three minutes – and that’s just the deaths we know about," the Director General of WHO added.
Virus caused 764 million cases globally
When the UN health agency first declared the coronavirus to be an international crisis on January 30, 2020, it hadn't yet been named COVID-19 and there were no major outbreaks beyond China. More than three years later, the virus has caused an estimated 764 million cases globally and about 5 billion people have received at least one dose of vaccine.
"1221 days ago, WHO learned of a cluster of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause in Wuhan, China. On the 30th January 2020, on the advice of an Emergency Committee convened under the International Health Regulations, I declared a public health emergency of international concern over the global outbreak of COVID-19 – the highest level of alarm under international law," Tedros said.
In the US, the public health emergency declaration made regarding Covid-19 is set to expire on May 11, when wide-ranging measures to support the pandemic response, including vaccine mandates, will end. Many other countries, including Germany, France and Britain, dropped many of their provisions against the pandemic last year. When Tedros declared Covid-19 to be an emergency in 2020, he said his greatest fear was the virus’ potential to spread in countries with weak health systems he described as “ill-prepared.”
COVID-19 caused severe social upheaval
The WHO chief said the pandemic had been on a downward trend for more than a year, acknowledging that most countries have already returned to life before Covid-19. He said that the virus had shattered businesses and plunged millions into poverty.
"For more than a year, the pandemic has been on a downward trend, with population immunity increasing from vaccination and infection, mortality decreasing and the pressure on health systems easing. This trend has allowed most countries to return to life as we knew it before," he said. Tedros further said that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe social upheaval, with borders closed, movement restricted, schools shut and millions of people experiencing loneliness, isolation, anxiety and depression.
Also Read: Covid-19 update: India reports over 3,600 fresh cases, active infection dips to 33,232
Also Read: Covid-19 Updates: India reports 3,325 fresh infections, active cases decrease to 44,175
