Coronavirus pandemic 'a long way from over', WHO's Tedros says

GENEVA:

Confusion

and complacency in addressing Covid-19 means the pandemic is a

long way

from being over, but it can be brought under control in months with proven

public health measures

, WHO Director-General

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

said on Monday.


"We too want to see societies and economies reopening, and travel and trade resuming," he told a news briefing.

"But right now, intensive care units in many countries are overflowing and people are dying – and it’s totally avoidable," he said.

"The Covid19 pandemic is a long way from over. But we have many reasons for optimism. The decline in cases and deaths during the first two months of the year shows that this virus and its variants can be stopped, he added, saying transmission was being driven by "confusion, complacency and inconsistency in public health measures."