WHO downgrades COVID-19 pandemic, says it's no longer a global emergency
According to reports, death rate due to COVID-19 had dropped from a peak of more than 100,000 people per week in January 2021 to just over 3,500 on 24 April.
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FollowThe World Health Organisation (WHO) on Friday (May 5) has declared that Covid-19 is no longer a "global health emergency". The statement represents a major step towards ending the pandemic and comes three years after it first declared its highest level of alert over the virus.
According to reports, death rate due to COVID-19 had dropped from a peak of more than 100,000 people per week in January 2021 to just over 3,500 on 24 April.
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The WHO chief said at least seven million people died in the pandemic. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the true figure was "likely" closer to 20 million deaths, nearly three times the official estimate, and he warned that the virus remained a significant threat.
"Yesterday, the Emergency Committee met for the 15th time and recommended to me that I declare an end to the public health emergency of international concern," Dr Tedros said.
"I've accepted that advice. It's therefore with great hope that I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency," he further said.
"The worst thing any country can do now is to use this news as a reason to let down its guard, to dismantle the systems it has built, or to send the message to its people that Covid-19 is nothing to worry about," he said.
The WHO first declared the so-called public health emergency of international concern in January 2020. Vaccines were one of the major turning points in the pandemic - allowing millions of people to be protected from serious illness and death.
The US and UK, like many other countries, have already talked about "living with the virus" and wound down many of the tests and social mixing rules.
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