This archive report was first published on 11 July 2020.
Published on July 11, 2020, the World Health Organization's emergencies program chief, Dr. Mike Ryan, expressed concerns about the global spread of the coronavirus.
Speaking at the WHO's regular coronavirus briefing in Geneva, Dr. Ryan stated that it is unlikely the virus can be eradicated under current conditions.
He emphasized the importance of extinguishing surges in infections to potentially avoid the worst of having second peaks and having to move backwards in terms of lockdowns.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus offered a word of optimism, citing examples around the world where the COVID-19 pandemic has been brought back under control despite being 'very intense.'
However, Tedros noted that global cases of infections have more than doubled in the last six weeks.
As of mid-afternoon on Friday, July 10, 2020, more than 12.3 million people had contracted COVID-19 worldwide, according to statistics from Johns Hopkins University.
Many public health experts believe the actual number of infections is higher due to unreported cases, testing shortages, and lack of transparency among some governments.
The U.S. remains the hardest-hit country, with about one-quarter of all confirmed infections and fatalities worldwide.
Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the nation's top infectious-disease expert, warned that the pandemic is worsening in the U.S. due to the lack of a coherent strategy to contain the virus.
Despite the surge in coronavirus cases, President Donald Trump continues to push for schools to open in the coming weeks, raising questions about the safety of the openings for children and school personnel.
Meanwhile, the WHO formally acknowledged that COVID-19 can be spread through the air in crowded, closed, or poorly ventilated environments, after initially dismissing the possibility.
