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Updated May 25th, 2021 at 23:37 IST

2021's COVID-19 deaths to surpass 2020's toll in few weeks; already more cases: WHO

WHO Chief Tedros Ghebreyesus while addressing the opening of the UN health agency's annual assembly raised concern over the increasing cases of COVID-19.

Reported by: Apoorva Kaul
COVID-19
IMAGE: WHO/Twitter/Pixabay | Image:self
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World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus while addressing the opening of the UN health agency's annual assembly on May 24 said that more COVID-19 cases have reported this year than in the whole of 2020. He also added that the number of deaths will overtake last year's death toll within few weeks. He further said that the world remains in a 'very dangerous situation' in terms of the pandemic. The WHO chief called for ramping up of vaccination drive in the countries.

COVID-19 deaths in 2021

Ghebreyesus said that based on present data, the number of deaths will reach last year's total within the next three weeks. He called for the member states to support a "massive push" to vaccinate at least 10 per cent of the population of every country by September. He also asked the world leaders to conduct a "drive to December" to achieve the goal of vaccinating at least 30 per cent by the end of the year to contain the deadly spread of the novel coronavirus. He further said that the "greatest drivers" of the COVID-19 pandemic have been the "lack of international solidarity and sharing".  

In his address, the WHO chief appreciated the sacrifice of the health care workers who have saved countless lives since the beginning of the pandemic. He said that "Health care workers all over the world have stood in the breach between life and death." He added that the health care workers are humans like us and they feel frustrated, helpless and unprotected with a lack of protective equipment. He said, "We owe them so much, and yet globally health and care workers often lack the protection, the equipment, the training, the decent pay, the safe working conditions, and the respect they deserve."

IMAGE: WHO/Twitter/Pixabay

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Published May 25th, 2021 at 23:37 IST

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