WHO chief Tedros Adhanom expressed hope that COVID will be defeated in 2022.
Highlight
- Tedros’ comments come two years after the WHO first notified cases of an unknown pneumonia strain in China
- WHO chief warns virus risk rising from persistent disparity in vaccine distribution
- We cannot prevent or predict the higher the risk of the virus developing: Tedros Adhanom
World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he is optimistic that the COVID-19 pandemic will be defeated in 2022, provided countries work together to stop its spread.
In a New Year statement, Ghebreyesus warned against “narrow nationalism and vaccine hoarding”, reports the BBC.
His remarks come two years after the WHO was first informed about cases of an unknown pneumonia strain in China.
He warned that the continued disparity in vaccine distribution is increasing the risk of the virus developing.
“Narrow nationalism and vaccine hoarding by some countries have eroded equity and created ideal conditions for the emergence of the Omicron variant, and the longer inequality persists, the greater the risk of the virus evolving in those ways.” Those we cannot prevent or predict,” he said.
“If we end inequality, we end the pandemic,” he said.
India has registered a substantial increase in daily COVID cases to 22,775 in a span of 24 hours. Also, there were 406 deaths at the same time, taking the toll to 4,81,486.
However, the active caseload rose to 1,04,781 which is 0.30 per cent of the total positive cases in the country.
Meanwhile, the number of Omicron infections has risen to 1,431 across the country. However, out of the total cases, 488 have been discharged from hospitals. So far 23 states have reported omicron infections.
Read also: US woman isolates in the air in bathroom after testing COVID positive
Read also: Maharashtra: Stricter restrictions may be imposed if COVID cases continue to rise, says Ajit Pawar
,