World Health Organization, stated that we are experiencing a pandemic in the world. Virus has infected more than 118,000 people in 114 countries
This Wednesday (11), the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic for Covid-19, the infection caused by the new coronavirus. Organization said that the number of cases, deaths and affected countries should increase.
According to WHO, a pandemic is the worldwide spread of a new disease. It is a term most often used when referring to the flu and generally indicates that an epidemic has spread to two or more continents with sustained person-to-person transmission.
As the world's leading health agency, WHO is the body that first declares a pandemic.
As far as the severity of the disease is concerned, it is not an issue that falls under the strict WHO definition of a pandemic, only the spread. Even organizations may consider the overall burden of disease to the population before declaring a pandemic.
“Describing the situation as a pandemic does not change the WHO assessment of the threat posed by this coronavirus. It does not change what WHO is doing or what countries should do,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
Number of cases expected to grow
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the WHO, when declaring the pandemic, pointed out that in two weeks the number of countries affected by the new coronavirus tripled. And that in the coming days and weeks the number of cases, deaths and affected countries is expected to increase. Half of the countries with coronavirus registered the 1st case in the last 10 days.
According to him, the WHO is really concerned about the alarming levels that the new coronavirus is having. It is the first time in the world that a pandemic caused by a coronavirus has been seen.
“Pandemic is not a word to be used lightly or carelessly. It is a word that, if misused, can cause irrational fear or unwarranted acceptance that the fight is over, leading to unnecessary suffering and death.”
Michael Ryan, the executive director of the WHO emergencies program, stressed that the statement does not mean that the WHO will adopt new recommendations to combat the virus.
“The declaration of a pandemic is not like that of an international emergency – it is a characterization or description of a situation, not a change in situation. (...). This is not the time for countries to move only to mitigation,” said Michael Ryan.
Mitigation is the public health strategy that primarily aims to care for patients and priority audiences. The WHO still believes that containment of the circulation of the virus needs to be sought by all countries.
