Brief summary of presentation of information made

June 19, 2020

Remarks from the Director General of the World Health Organization – Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

These would be from the dates of June 19, 22, and 24, 2020. These are the briefings of COVID-19 and what the world is facing at this time.

June 19, 2020

The pandemic is accelerating.

More than 150 thousand new cases of COVID-19 were reported to WHO yesterday June 18, 2020, the most in a single day so far.

Almost half of those cases were reported from the Americas, with large numbers also being reported from South Asia and the Middle East.

The world is in a new and dangerous phase. Many people are understandably fed up with being at home. Countries are understandably eager to open their societies and economies.

But the virus is still spreading fast, it is still deadly, and most people are still susceptible. We call on all countries and all people to exercise extreme vigilance.

Continue maintaining your distance from others. Stay home if you feel sick. Keep covering your nose and mouth when you cough. Wear a mask when appropriate. Keep cleaning your hands.

We continue to call on all countries to focus on the basics: find, isolate, test and care for every case. Trace and quarantine every contact. As the pandemic gathers pace, it is the most vulnerable who will suffer the most.

All countries rich and poor have populations who are vulnerable to a higher risk of severe disease and death.

World Refugee Day June 20, 2020, an important moment to highlight the risks of COVID-19 for some of the world’s most vulnerable people.

Refugees are particularly at risk of COVID-19 because they often have limited access to adequate shelter, water, nutrition, sanitation, and health services.

Over 80 per cent of the world’s refugees and nearly all the world’s internally displaced people are hosted in low- and middle-income countries.

WHO is deeply concerned about the very real and present danger of widespread transmission of COVID-19 in refugee camps.

Beyond the health threat posed by the virus, COVID-19 is also exposing many refugees to even more severe hardship.

A report published today by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement shows that about 70 percent of refugees surveyed in Turkey reported having lost their jobs since the start of the pandemic.

We have a shared duty to do everything we can to prevent, detect and respond to transmission of COVID-19 among refugee populations.

Public health measures that reduce transmission of COVID-19 require strict and sustained implementation. This is difficult to achieve in refugee camps, where the public health situation is weak.

UNHCR’s primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees.

WHO’s mission is to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable.

Our organizations are a natural fit and every day WHO and UNHCR work to strengthen the collaboration between our two agencies.

COVID-19 has demonstrated that no one is safe until we are all safe. Only by putting politics aside and working in true collaboration can we make a difference.

We are most vulnerable when we are divided, but with solidarity and cooperation, we will overcome this pandemic, and be better prepared for the crises of the future.

June 22, 2020

Briefing It seems that almost every day we reach a new and grim record.

June 21, 2020, more than 183,000 new cases of COVID-19 were reported to WHO – easily the most in a single day so far.

More than 8.8 million cases have now been reported to WHO, and more than 465,000 people have lost their lives.

Some countries are continuing to see a rapid increase in cases and deaths.

Some countries that have successfully suppressed transmission are now seeing an upswing in cases as they reopen their societies and economies.

All countries are facing a delicate balance, between protecting their people, while minimizing the social and economic damage.

It is not a choice between lives and livelihoods. Countries can do both.

We urge countries to be careful and creative in finding solutions that enable people to stay safe while getting on with their lives.

We continue to urge all countries to double down on the fundamental public health measures that we know work.

Finding and testing suspected cases works.

Isolating and caring for the sick works.

Tracing and quarantining contacts works.

And protecting health workers works.

At the same time, these measures can only be effective if each individual takes the measures that we also know work to protect themselves and others.

Maintain physical distance.

Continue cleaning your hands.

And wear a mask where appropriate.

Just as we do the things that we know work to prevent the spread of the disease, we are also learning more about how to treat the sick.

Although the data are still preliminary, the recent finding that the steroid dexamethasone has lifesaving potential for critically ill COVID-19 patients gave us a much-needed reason to celebrate.

The next challenge is to increase production and rapidly and equitably distribute dexamethasone worldwide, focusing on where it is needed most. Demand has already surged, following the UK trial results showing dexamethasone's clear benefit.

Fortunately, this is an inexpensive medicine and there are many dexamethasone manufacturers worldwide, who we are confident can accelerate production.

Guided by solidarity, countries must work together to ensure supplies are prioritized for countries where there are large numbers of critically ill patients, and that supplies remain available to treat other diseases for which it is needed.

Transparency and constant monitoring will be key to ensuring needs dictate supplies, rather than means. 

It is also important to check that suppliers can guarantee quality, as there is a high risk of substandard or falsified products entering the market.

WHO emphasizes that dexamethasone should only be used for patients with severe or critical disease, under close clinical supervision.

There is no evidence this drug works for patients with mild disease or as a preventative measure, and it could cause harm.

WHO is also continuing to support countries with essential supplies of personal protective equipment and laboratory diagnostics.

One way we are doing that is through the COVID-19 Supply Portal, an online platform through which countries that need supplies can enter requests.

So far, 48 countries have made requests for supplies, with a value of US$92 million.

WHO is currently in the process of shipping more than 140 million items of personal protective equipment to 135 countries, 14,000 oxygen concentrators and millions of tests.

Meanwhile, WHO is also working with countries to maintain essential health services.

WHO recently surveyed countries to assess the impact of the pandemic on essential health services.

Of the 82 countries that have responded so far, more than half have limited or suspended at least one service delivery platform, such as outpatient or inpatient services, or community-based care.

Almost three quarters of countries reported that dental and rehabilitation services have been partially or completely disrupted.

Around two-thirds of countries reported disruptions to routine immunization, diagnosis, and treatment for noncommunicable diseases and family planning and contraception.

More than half of countries reported disruptions for mental health disorders, antenatal care, cancer diagnosis and treatment, and services for sick children.

Countries are using a variety of strategies to deal with these disruptions, including triage, telemedicine, and redirecting patients to alternative health facilities.

Still, the consequences of these disruptions will be felt for many years to come.

The world is learning the hard way that health is not a luxury item; it is the cornerstone of security, stability, and prosperity.

That is why it is essential that countries not only respond urgently to the pandemic, but also that they invest in strong health systems domestically, and in global health security.

Last year, world leaders came together at the United Nations General Assembly in New York to adopt a landmark political declaration on universal health coverage.

Now more than ever, all countries must make universal health coverage a priority.

It is not a question of whether countries can afford to do this, it’s a question of whether they can afford not to.

June 24, 2020 Briefing

More than 9.1 million cases of COVID-19 have now been reported to WHO, and more than 470,000 deaths.

In the first month of this outbreak, less than 10,000 cases were reported to WHO. In the last month, almost 4 million cases have been reported.

We expect to reach a total of 10 million cases within the next week.

This is a sober reminder that even as we continue research into vaccines and therapeutics, we have an urgent responsibility to do everything we can with the tools we have now to suppress transmission and save lives.

One of the most effective ways of saving lives is providing oxygen to patients who need it.

Several news reports published today have highlighted the vital role of oxygen in treating patients with severe and critical COVID-19.

This has been an area of intense focus for WHO since the beginning of the pandemic.

Patients with severe and critical COVID-19 cannot get enough oxygen into their blood by breathing normally. They need higher concentrations of oxygen and support to get it into their lungs.

Left untreated, severe COVID-19 deprives cells and organs of the oxygen they need, which ultimately leads to organ failure and death.

Medical oxygen is produced using oxygen concentrators, which extract and purify oxygen from the air.

WHO estimates that at the current rate of about 1 million new cases a week, the world needs about 620,000 cubic meters of oxygen a day, which is about 88,000 large cylinders.

However, many countries are now experiencing difficulties in obtaining oxygen concentrators.

80 percent of the market is owned by just a few companies, and demand is currently outstripping supply.

WHO and our UN partners are working with manufacturers across the world through a variety of private sector networks to buy oxygen concentrators for countries that need them most.

Ongoing talks with suppliers in recent weeks have enabled WHO to buy 14,000 oxygen concentrators, which will be sent to 120 countries in the coming weeks.

WHO has identified a further 170,000 concentrators that can be available over the next 6 months, with a value of US$100 million dollars.

In addition, WHO has bought 9800 pulse oximeters, a simple device used to monitor oxygen in a patient’s blood, which are being prepared for shipment.

Another challenge is that many patients with critical disease need a higher flow rate of oxygen than is produced by most commercially available concentrators.

To address this challenge, WHO is supporting several countries to buy equipment that will enable them to generate their own concentrated oxygen in larger amounts. This is a sustainable solution for COVID-19 and beyond but requires technical expertise for maintenance. 

As some countries start to reopen their societies and economies, questions about how to hold gatherings of large numbers of people safely have become increasingly important.

We are most vulnerable when we are divided, but with solidarity and cooperation, we will overcome this pandemic, and be better prepared for the crises of the future.

The world is learning the hard way that health is not a luxury item; it is the cornerstone of security, stability, and prosperity.

That is why it is essential that countries not only respond urgently to the pandemic, but also that they invest in strong health systems domestically, and in global health security. 

What was of particular significance to share with The Salvation Army globally?

Keeping our people aware of how this pandemic is still very active and to keep our people informed. 

Web links for more information

International Red Cross https://www.icrc.org/en/who-we-are