WHO calls COVID-19 ‘once-in-a-century health crisis’

As the global transmission of COVID-19 has accelerated, the number of cumulative confirmed cases has topped 18 million. The World Health Organization has expressed concern, calling the pandemic a “once-in-a-century health crisis.”

According to international statistics site Worldometer, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases exceeded 18 million as of Saturday. The milestone came just three days after the number topped 17 million last Wednesday, while the global death toll has topped 688,000 as of Sunday.

The coronavirus has spread rapidly in the three countries with the highest cumulative confirmed cases, namely the U.S., Brazil and India. Around 10,000 cases are being reportedly daily in South Africa, Mexico and Colombia, and Japan saw the number of confirmed cases exceed 1,500 for two consecutive days on Friday and Saturday.

In the fourth meeting of the WHO’s emergency committee on Friday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called the pandemic “once-in-a-century health crisis.” “The pandemic’s effects would be felt for decades,” the WHO chief warned. The WHO has agreed that the pandemic remains a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), which was declared on January 30.


Youn-Jong Kim zozo@donga.com