Covid-19 pandemic likely to worsen due to poor response, WHO says

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the coronavirus pandemic is likely to get worse.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the health agency said too many countries are headed in the wrong direction when it comes to handling the outbreak.

Speaking at the weekly press conference on Monday, Dr Tedros warned that the pandemic is worsening and things will not return to “the old normal” for the foreseeable future.

“Let me be blunt - too many countries are headed in the wrong direction. The virus remains public enemy number one,” he said.

Dr Tedros said that while numerous countries, especially in Europe and Asia, have controlled the outbreak, too many others were seeing virus trends move in the wrong direction.

The director-general told the virtual media briefing that unless the basics of infection control are followed the pandemic is going to “get worse and worse and worse”.

He added that “mixed messages” from some leaders have also undermined public trust, limiting their ability to introduce effective strategies to contain the pandemic.

GRIM MILESTONE

This comes as the world hit yet another grim milestone with 230,370 new cases reported Sunday.

Globally, cases hit 13 million after 12.8 million with 567 deaths. In Africa, the virus continued to rise with 594,841 cases and 13,238 deaths recorded so far.

“Mixed messages from leaders are undermining the most critical ingredient of any response: trust. If governments do not clearly communicate with their citizens and roll out a comprehensive strategy focused on suppressing transmission and saving lives,” said Dr Tedros.

Kenya has recorded its highest number of deaths from Covid-19 within a 24-hour period, the Ministry of Health figures showed on Monday after 12 people (nine dying in hospitals and three in their homes)  succumbed to the virus, taking the death tally to 197.

On Tuesday, the country reported 497 new infections and five more deaths.

The United States, Brazil, India, and South Africa reported the largest rises in cases, according to the WHO’s daily situation report.

"If basics are not followed, the only way this pandemic is going to go, it is going to get worse and worse and worse. But it does not have to be this way," said Dr Tedros.

With no vaccine available at the moment, hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette, social distancing, and the wearing of masks remain the best ways of preventing infections.

FOUR SCENARIOS

There are roughly four situations playing out across the world at the moment. The first situation is of countries that were alert and aware – they prepared and responded rapidly and effectively to the first cases. As a result, they have so far avoided large outbreaks.

The second situation is of countries in which a major outbreak was brought under control through a combination of strong leadership and populations adhering to key public health measures.

“In the first situation, leaders of those countries took command of the emergency and communicated effectively with their populations about the measures that had to be taken. They pursued a comprehensive strategy to find, isolate, test and care for cases, and to trace and quarantine contacts, and were able to suppress the virus,” noted Dr Tedros. Several countries in the Mekong region, the Pacific, the Caribbean, and Africa fit into that category.

Countries in the second tier, like Europe, demonstrated that it is possible to bring large outbreaks under control.

In the first two situations, where countries have effectively suppressed the virus, leaders are opening up their societies on a data-driven, step-by-step basis, with a comprehensive public health approach, backed by a strong health workforce and community buy-in.

Conversely, some of the countries that had overcome the outbreak and eased restrictions are now struggling with new peaks and accelerating cases.  This increase, described as the third scenario is fast seeing hospital wards fill up again.

“It would appear that many countries are losing gains made as proven measures to reduce risk are not implemented or followed,” said Dr Tedros.

The fourth situation is of countries that are in the intense transmission phase of their outbreak mainly in the Americas, South Asia, and several countries in Africa.

“But we know from the first two situations that it’s never too late to bring the virus under control, even if there’s been explosive transmission. In some cities and regions where transmission is intense, severe restrictions have been reinstated to bring the outbreak under control,” added Dr Tedros.