“They have lowered their guard”: WHO director regrets the increase in coronavirus cases for the first time in 7 weeks

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said this is a “disappointing, but not surprising” trend. given that in his opinion, many countries “have lowered their guard.”

After more than seven weeks in which new cases and deaths from coronavirus fell globally, the number of infections and deaths has rebounded, warned this Monday the World Health Organization (WHO).

The director general of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, assured that it is a “disappointing, but not surprising” trend given that, in his opinion, many countries “have let your guard down. ”

Tedros explained that the increase in the number of cases is repeated in most countries in Europe, America, the Middle East and South Asia, although in Africa and East Asia the curves remain stable.

And noted that the WHO is trying to determine the possible causes behind the increases.

“We are working to better understand these increases in transmission, although in some cases it is due to a relaxation of public health measures, together with the circula lation of new variants (of the virus) as people have let their guard down, ”he said.

Vaccines in focus

WHO Director He also warned that countries should not rely solely on their vaccination programs to relax measures, since they are still in a very incipient phase.

“If countries believe that they depend solely on vaccines, they are committing a error. Basic public health measures continue to be the basis of the response. ”

Tedros also criticized rich countries for accumulating doses of vaccines and said it was of interest for all that vulnerable people are protected around the world.

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“It is regrettable that some countries continue to give priority to vaccinating young adults, who are healthier and at lower risk of diseases, due to ahead of healthcare workers and older people elsewhere, ”he said.

This Monday, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned also before the growing increase in cases and deaths that have been reported in the country in the last week .

“At this point, with the new variants spreading, we are risking losing the ground that we spent so much work on winning, “said the institution’s director, Rochelle Welensky.

Over the weekend, the United States approved a third vaccine, the first of a single dose, from the pharmaceutical company Johnson and Johnson, and it is expected that several countries will also approve it and add it to their vaccination campaigns in the coming weeks.