World Health Organization chief declares a ‘dangerous new phase’ of coronavirus as record 150K new cases are confirmed
THE World Health Organization warned on Friday the coronavirus pandemic has entered a “new and dangerous phase” as the number of infections across the globe surge.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu said the number of new cases reported on Thursday — 150,000 — “were the most in a single day so far.”
He said during a press conference that almost half of the total cases were reported from the US.
The , as of Friday, reported nearly 2.3million cases total, with more than 121,00 virus-related deaths.
“Many people are understandably fed up with being at home. Countries are understandably eager to open up their societies and economies,” Tedros said.
“But the virus is still spreading fast. It is still deadly and most people are still susceptible.”
has the of outside the US, with more than 978,000 cases and nearly 50,000 deaths reported.
Mike Ryan, emergencies expert for the WHO, said Brazil that in just the last 24 hours, 1,230 people died from COVID-19 in the country.
He noted that “strains and viruses have moved around the world” throughout the virus pandemic and said the fact that a virus from Europe sparked China's latest outbreak did not mean the virus originated there.
Ryan said that analysis of the genetic sequences China provided so far suggests that the virus spread from other people.
He said it doesn’t suggest that it jumped to humans from animals.
Scientists have suggested it’s likely the novel coronavirus infected humans from animals.
Tedros said that amid the pandemic, people and world leaders need to “exercise extreme vigilance” and to “focus on the basics.”
“Continue maintaining your distance from others. . Wear a mask when appropriate. Keep cleaning your hands,” he said.