WHO's Ryan says world is in 'fight of our lives', but there is hope
04 May, 2020
Elements of the world are beginning to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and cautiously resume some sort of normal life, however the new coronavirus will pose significant risks until vaccines are developed, the WHO's top emergencies expert said on Sunday (May 3).
Mike Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization's (WHO) emergencies programme, said while many countries remain in the attention of the storm, others were starting to show it is possible to contain the disease to some extent.
"In that sense, there's hope," Ryan told Reuters within an online interview from Geneva.
"At a global level the situation continues to be very, very serious but the pattern of the condition and the trajectory of the virus is quite different in different elements of the world at this time," he said.
"What we're learning is that it's possible to get this disease under control in fact it is possible to begin resuming normal financial and social life, with a new way of having to do this, and with extreme care and vigilance."
However, some countries in Africa and in central and South America remain seeing "an upwards trajectory in cases" and although they may not may actually have a large problem yet, the option of tests remains an issue, Ryan added.
More than 3.44 million persons have already been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 243,015 have died, according to a Reuters tally by Sunday.
Infections have already been reported in a lot more than 210 countries and territories because the first cases were recognized in China in December.
"We're in the center of the fight of our lives - most of us around the world," Ryan said. "There's likely to be considered a significant and extended risk until we reach a point where we've a effective and safe vaccine open to all."
Ryan said some countries, including China, South Korea, Singapore, New Zealand and others, had reached what he referred to as "a reliable state" in regards to to the spread of COVID-19.
Meanwhile Europe and North America are starting to emerge from "very strong epidemics" of the condition and so are now trying to navigate a safe exit from extreme restrictions on economical and social activities imposed during the past couple of months, he said.
After months of serious lockdown, people in Italy and Spain were beginning to enjoy a little more freedom on Sunday. Israel has opened some schools, while South Korea said it could further relax social distancing rules from May 6, allowing a phased re-opening of businesses.
Ryan said this showed "not that the virus could be beaten absolutely, but that people can reach a spot where we have enough control over the virus that our social and monetary lives can commence again".
He reiterated, however, that any government wanting to relax restrictions must do so with extreme care.
The WHO warned on Friday that countries must lift lockdowns gradually, while still being "on the look-out" for COVID-19 and prepared to restore restrictions if the virus jumps back.
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