Here’s Why The WHO Thinks ‘The Worst Is Yet To Come’ From Coronavirus
 

Here’s Why The WHO Thinks ‘The Worst Is Yet To Come’ From Coronavirus
BY: Iain Martin - Forbes News - 06-20-20
Re: https://www.forbes.com/sites/iainmar.../#2e34868f7c49

Statement made by: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), speaks during a ... [+] © 2020 BLOOMBERG FINANCE LP

TOPLINE: The World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had stark words on Monday for world leaders, and their efforts to contain the pandemic. He warned that the “worst is yet to come” from the pandemic if governments around the world do not adopt the right strategies.

KEY FACTS:

* “Although many countries have made some progress, globally the pandemic is actually speeding up,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus speaking at a briefing in Geneva. “Some countries have now experienced a resurgence of cases as they start to reopen their economies and societies.”

* Tedros pointed to the lack of unity and global solidarity in tackling the pandemic as key reasons why the spread is increasing. "[The] worst is yet to come," he warned, according to NPR. He added: "I'm sorry to say that, but with this kind of environment and conditions we fear the worst."

* The WHO head urged countries to follow the lead of South Korea, and other countries, that have used contact tracing and isolation to contain the spread of the virus.

* “No excuse for contact tracing. If any country is saying contact tracing is difficult, it is a lame excuse,” said Tedros.

* The WHO also said at the meeting that it would send a team to China to investigate the source of the outbreak, which was first detected in Wuhan in December.

* President Donald Trump has threatened to withhold United States funding of the WHO over its handling of the pandemic, and allegations that the global health agency was deferential towards China.

KEY QUOTE:

“We all want this to be over. We all want to get on with our lives. But the hard reality is this is not even close to being over,” said Tedros.

KEY BACKGROUND:

The warning from the WHO came after the world passed the grim milestone of 500,000 deaths from the virus, and 10 million infections, with the number of new cases rising rapidly in the United States, Brazil and India. With an effective coronavirus vaccine months, or years away, the leader of the global health agency again pointed to a playbook that has worked in South Korea and Hong Kong, and earlier epidemics like the 2014 Ebola outbreak.

TANGENT:

Scientists have identified a new strain of “swine” flu identified in pigs in China has the potential to become a new influenza pandemic, according to a research paper published Monday in the influential journal Proceedings of the National Academy Of Sciences of the United States of America.

About - Iain Martin: I joined Forbes as the European News Editor and will be working with the London newsroom to define our coverage of emerging businesses and leaders across the UK and Europe. Prior to joining Forbes, I worked for the news agency Storyful as its Asia Editor working from its Hong Kong bureau, and as a Senior Editor in London, where I reported on breaking news stories from around the world, with a special focus on how misinformation and disinformation spreads on social media platforms. I started my career in London as a financial journalist with Citywire and my work has appeared in the BBC, Sunday Times, and many more UK publications.