COVID-19: WHO warns against lifting restrictions, says it 'may lead to deadly resurgence'

As the deadly coronavirus continues to tighten its grip around the world and the global death toll recently surpassed one lakh, the World Health Organisation has warned against lifting restrictions introduced by leaders to curb the pandemic. In a bid to slow the spread of COVID-19, major countries have introduced, curfews to prolonged lockdowns making millions confined to their homes unless they have to buy essentials or need medical assistance. WHO Secretary-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said that  "lifting restrictions could lead to a deadly resurgence". 

According to reports, while talking to journalists in Geneva, WHO chief said that while on one side, certain countries have celebrated the slowing down of the epidemic including Italy, Germany, Spain, and France, but, somewhere else there has been “alarming acceleration” including certain community transmission across Africa.

After originating from China’s “wet markets”, the coronavirus has now claimed over 102,730 lives worldwide as of April 11. According to the tally by international news agency, the pandemic has now spread to 210 countries and has infected at least 1,699,632 people. Out of the total infections, 376,330 have been recovered but the easily spread virus is continuing to disrupt many lives. Major cities have been put under lockdown in almost all countries and the global economy is struggling.

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'Masks alone cannot stop pandemic'

Giving a perspective over the confusion regarding wearing masks to prevent the spread of coronavirus, World Health Organisation chief, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said that communities that are unable to meet other standards of hygiene like cleaning hands and social distancing, “could consider using masks”. He added that certain steps required to stem the spread of coronavirus can be harder to achieve in communities that witness a shortage of water or where people live in cramped conditions.

According to WHO head, while the COVID-19 outbreak continues to tighten its grip around the world, “there is no black or white answer and no silver bullet”. He even said that “masks along cannot stop the pandemic”, instead the governments should try to identify people with the virus and treat them in isolation. Before WHO chief’s statement, another official from the United Nations health agency had said that in order to combat the deadly coronavirus outbreak, just lockdowns are “not enough”.

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(Image Source: AP)