The death toll from the coronavirus could reach two million before successful vaccination is widely used, and could even be higher if concerted action is not taken to curb the epidemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) emergency director said on Friday.
“If we don’t act, this number we’re talking about (twice the current number of deaths, 2 million) will not only be conceivable, but will unfortunately be very likely ,” Michael Ryan said at a news conference on Friday.
The director spoke about this after nine months since the virus was discovered in China, the number of deaths from Covid-19 caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2 has approached 1 million.
Ryan said young people should not be blamed for the current increase in the number of those infected, despite growing concerns about young people spreading the virus after easing restrictions and quarantine measures worldwide.
“I really hope we don’t start pointing fingers at them ,” Ryan said.
"The last thing a young person needs is for an elderly person to clap and point a finger."
According to the director of emergency, Europe still has a long way to go to stabilize the situation and control the spread of the virus.
The WHO is continuing negotiations with China on its possible participation in the COVAX funding scheme to facilitate rapid and equitable access to the Covid-19 vaccine, senior WHO adviser Bruce Aylward said.
Canada has signed an agreement with Oxford-based AstraZeneca to buy 20 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Friday.
The drug is one of the leading candidates in the ongoing competition to develop a vaccine, currently in the final stages of testing in the UK, South Africa and elsewhere.
On a question about the U.S. wanting to import prescription drugs from Canada, Trudeau also said Canada wants to help other countries with drug shipments.
“We are considering every step the U.S. will take to expand our capabilities, but we want to help Canadians first and foremost and meet the needs of Canadians at home,” the prime minister said, however.
(Source: marmalade.co.hu; hirado.hu | Image: pixabay.com)