A senior official at the World Health Organization warned that the world has "not yet gained control over the virus and has not surpassed the stage of danger" in combating the COVID-19 pandemic, despite many believing that it is nearing its end. Maria Van Kerkhove, a technical lead at the organization, disclosed that 3.1 million new confirmed cases were reported to the WHO last week along with 54,000 additional deaths, noting that the actual figures could be much higher.
During a live conference broadcast on the World Health Organization's social media channels, she stated, "The situation remains highly dynamic. It is dynamic because we do not have control over the virus." She expressed her confusion regarding the fact that intensive care units and hospitals in some cities are filled and people are dying, yet people in the streets are acting as if the crisis has completely ended. She emphasized that COVID-19 will not be eradicated, attributing this to the way the world has managed the crisis.
Van Kerkhove also criticized the misinformation surrounding COVID-19 that circulates online, stating that such information "leads to deaths." She noted that the WHO is engaged in discussions regarding what the pandemic's status will be in the next three to 18 months. However, she remained optimistic about eventually gaining control over COVID-19, albeit without it disappearing entirely, saying, "The virus will not be eradicated completely; it will remain."
She added, "There will continue to be pockets of unvaccinated individuals, whether due to a lack of vaccine availability, refusal to get vaccinated, or inability to receive the vaccine," warning of the potential for renewed outbreaks. Moreover, she observed that the world "lost from the early stages the possibility of eradicating this virus globally because it was not addressed with the strongest measures."
It is worth noting that COVID-19 has caused the deaths of at least 4,805,049 people worldwide since the WHO office in China reported the emergence of the disease at the end of December 2019, according to a count conducted by AFP based on official sources on Tuesday.
