Covid-19: Tough week as 160 000 new cases are reported every day

More than 10.3 million cases of Covid-19 have now been reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO), and more than 506 000 deaths.

Over the last week the number of new cases has exceeded 160 000 every day.

Also read: Covid-19: World Health Organisation reports 10 million cases

“Sixty per cent of all cases so far have been reported just in the past month,” said WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

“We will never get tired of saying that the best way out of this pandemic is to take a comprehensive approach. Find, isolate, test and care for every case, trace and quarantine every contact, equip and train health workers and educate and empower communities to protect themselves and others.

“Not testing alone. Not physical distancing alone. Not contact tracing alone. Not masks alone. Do it all. Countries that have adopted this comprehensive approach have suppressed transmission and saved lives,” he said.
Tedros added that flare-ups are to be expected as countries start to lift restrictions.

He said countries that have the systems in place should apply a comprehensive approach to be able to contain these flare-ups locally and avoid reintroducing widespread restrictions.
“We are concerned that some countries have not used all the tools at their disposal and have taken a fragmented approach. These countries face a long, hard road ahead,” Tedros said.

He added that one of the lessons of the pandemic is that no matter what situation a country is in, it can be turned around. It’s never too late.

“As you know, in March, Italy and Spain were the epicenter of the pandemic. At the peak of its epidemic, Spain had almost 10 000 cases a day, and Italy had more than 6 500 cases.

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“But both countries brought their epidemics under control with a combination of leadership, humility, active participation by every member of society, and implementing a comprehensive approach,” the director general said.

“The fastest way out of this pandemic is to follow the science and do what we know works: the comprehensive approach.”
June 1 and 2 saw WHO hold its second research and innovation forum, bringing together more than 1 000 scientists from all over the world to take stock of the progress made so far, to discuss new research questions and knowledge gaps, and to define research priorities for the remainder of this year and beyond.

In January, WHO published the first protocol for PCR testing for the new coronavirus.

“In February, we brought together hundreds of researchers from around the world to identify research priorities. In March, we launched the Solidarity Trial, a large international study to find answers about which therapeutics are the most effective.

“And in April, with the European Commission and multiple other partners we launched the Covid-19 Tools Accelerator to catalyse the development and equitable allocation of vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics,” Tedros said.
He said the pandemic is a scientific challenge and a test of character.

“We must act in the interests of global solidarity and our shared humanity. We have a shared responsibility to ensure that all people have access to the tools to protect themselves, especially those who are most at risk,” he said.

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