WHO UPDATES ON COVID-19

A recent situation report published by the World Health Organization indicates that 210,000 persons worldwide have been affected by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) with 9000 deaths.

Currently, Italy and China have the highest cases and fatalities. According to reports, as at March 20, 2020 Italy accounts for 41,035 cases with 3,407 deaths while China has 81, 300 with 3,253 persons who succumbed.

Italy’s health system has been overwhelmed. Those who are currently quarantined admitted in several videos posted on their social media stating that the nation did not take the warnings of the coronavirus seriously resulting in it ravaging the country’s population.

Iran follows with 18,407 reported cases, of which 1,284 persons died. Spain comes next with 17, 147 with 767 deaths while the United States of America records 10,442 cases with 150 deaths.

Regionally, Jamaica records 14 cases, Trinidad and Tobago nine, Guyana and the Bahamas five each, Barbados four and St. Lucia with only two cases.

The World Health Organization’s Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a briefing on Friday that it is important to know that no person can be spared from the virus.

“One of the things we are learning is that although older people are the hardest hit, younger people are not spared… Young people, you are not invincible. Data from many countries clearly show that people under the age of 50 make up a significant proportion of patients requiring hospitalisation,” Dr. Ghebreyesus stated.

The Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, called on all countries in the Americas to take urgent action to reorganize their health services and protect health professionals to safely care for patients with COVID-19 and save lives.

The table below shows top countries in other regions and their COVID-19 related figures as of March 19, 2020.

WHO’s website – www.who.int.