WHO chief warns virus pandemic 'accelerating'

he of World Health Organization said coronavirus pandemic is “accelerating” and that more than 150,000 cases were reported yesterday - "highest single-day number so far.

In a media briefing on Friday, Tedros ham Ghebreyesus said nearly half of newly reported cases were from Americas, with significant numbers from South Asia and Middle East.

“We are in a new and dangerous phase,” he said, warning that restrictive measures are still needed to stop pandemic. “Many people are understandably fed up with being at home (and) countries are understandably er to open up ir societies.”

But Tedros warned that virus is still “spreing fast” and that measures like social distancing, mask wearing and hand-washing are still critical.

He ted toll would be especially great on refugees in particular, of whom more than 80 per cent live in mostly developing nations.

“We have a shared duty to everything we can to prevent, detect and respond to transmission of COVID-19 detected among refugees in hospitals.”