This archive report was first published on 22 April 2020.
On April 22, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) sounded a warning about the COVID-19 pandemic, citing worrying upward trends in early epidemics in parts of Africa and central and South America.
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized that most countries were still in the early stages of their epidemics and that some that were affected early in the pandemic were starting to see a resurgence in cases.
“Make no mistake, we have a long way to go. This virus will be with us for a long time,” he said in a virtual briefing to Geneva journalists.
Dr. Mike Ryan, the WHO’s top emergencies expert, also cautioned against opening up global travel too quickly, saying it would require careful risk management.
While noting progress in Western Europe, the WHO urged careful consideration of the risks involved in reopening global travel.
