Five years ago today, a global announcement was made by the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring the coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. On January 30, 2020, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the virus a threat to countries with “ill-prepared” healthcare systems.
At the time, only eight cases of human-to-human transmission had been found in four countries: Germany, Japan, Vietnam, and the US. However, China was experiencing dire circumstances, with 7,736 confirmed cases and 170 deaths reported.
Dr Tedros praised the Chinese government for their efforts to contain the outbreak, saying that if it were not for their actions, many more cases and deaths would have occurred globally. He emphasized the importance of preparing healthcare systems for potential outbreaks and highlighted the need for transparency, science, and solidarity in response to the crisis.
The WHO’s initial global recommendations included developing testing and contact tracing methods, accelerating vaccine development, and promoting public health measures to contain the spread of the virus. The pandemic was officially declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020, marking a turning point in the global response.
Five years later, the WHO reports over 7 million confirmed deaths from COVID-19, with the true death toll estimated to be at least three times higher. Dr Tedros recently stated that the pandemic is still affecting countries today, causing acute disease, long-term health issues, and death. He emphasized that the world cannot afford to forget about COVID-19 and must continue to take measures to address this ongoing global health issue.
Source: https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/world-news/five-years-ago-today-announcement-30891655