Coronavirus pandemic is worsening globally, warns WHO chief

Even as the World Health Organization chief lauded the bettering Covid-19 situation across several countries in the world, he said “in these countries, the biggest threat now is complacency.”

The head of the World Health Organization warned that the coronavirus pandemic is worsening globally, even as the situation in Europe is improving.

A woman rides a bicycle carrying a child after some restrictions were lifted during a nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease in Mumbai on June 8, 2020. (Reuters File Photo)

At a press briefing on Monday, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted that about 75% of cases reported to the UN health agency on Sunday came from 10 countries in the Americas and South Asia. He noted that more than 100,000 cases have been reported on nine of the past 10 days — and that the 136,000 cases reported Sunday was the biggest number so far.

Tedros said most countries in Africa are still seeing an increase in cases, including in new geographic areas even though most countries on the continent have fewer than 1,000 cases.

“At the same time, we’re encouraged that several countries around the world are seeing positive signs,” Tedros said. “In these countries, the biggest threat now is complacency.”