World Health Organization Declares An End to Global Emergency

Three years after the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic, WHO has ended it with a statement. According to officials, the virus’ death rate has dropped from a peak of more than 100,000 people per week in January 2021 to just over 3,500 in late-April.

“This trend has allowed most countries to return to life as we knew it before Covid-19,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. “Yesterday, the emergency committee met for the 15th  time and recommended to me that I declare an end to the public health emergency of international concern. I have accepted that advice.”

Tedros said more than seven million people worldwide have died from Covid.

The United States will let its public health emergency alert for Covid-19 end on May 11.

Still Here

Covid-19 is still evolving and remains a threat, but WHO officials say at a lower level.

Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, the head of WHO’s Covid-19 technical lead and head of its emerging disease program said the disease is “here to stay” and the coronavirus that cuases the disease is not going away any time soon.

There have been more than 765 million cases of Covid detected. Europe reported the most cases, but the Americas accounted for the most deaths with 1 out 0f 6 fatalities occurring in the U.S. based on WHO data.

As the emergency declaration is lifted, billions around the world remain unvaccinated against the virus.

Director-General Tedros added, “One of the greatest tragedies of Covid-19 is that it didn’t have to be this way. We have the tools and technologies to prepare for pandemics better, detect them earlier, respond to them faster, and communicate their impact. But globally, a lack of coordination, a lack of equity, and lack of solidarity meant that those tools were not used as effectively as they could have been. We must promise ourselves and our children and grandchildren that we will never make those mistakes again.”