This archive report was first published on 11 July 2020.
WHO Official: Coronavirus probably can’t be eliminated under current conditions ¶
Published on July 11, 2020
Dr. Mike Ryan, the World Health Organization's emergencies program chief, expressed concerns that the new coronavirus may not be eliminated if current global conditions persist.
Speaking at the WHO's regular coronavirus briefing in Geneva, Dr. Ryan stated, “In the current situation, it is unlikely we can eradicate the virus.”
He emphasized the importance of extinguishing surges in infections to avoid the worst of having second peaks and moving backwards in terms of lockdowns.
According to Dr. Ryan, the world could potentially avoid the worst of having second peaks and having to move backwards in terms of a lockdown if surges in infections could be extinguished.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus offered a word of optimism, saying examples around the world have shown that even if the COVID-19 pandemic is “very intense,” it can still be brought back under control.
However, Tedros noted that global cases of infections worldwide had more than doubled in the last six weeks.
As of mid-afternoon Friday EDT, more than 12.3 million people had contracted COVID-19 worldwide, according to statistics from Johns Hopkins University.
Many public health experts believe, however, that the number of infections is actually higher due to unreported cases.
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, again warned that the pandemic was worsening in the U.S. because the country lacks a coherent strategy to contain the virus.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted that the decision to allow bars and other businesses to reopen might have been made “too soon” as the country's health ministry reported 1,500 new cases, a record single-day high.
