(We yield this space to the WHO Director-General’s opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19, March 9, 2020 due to its significance. – Ed.)
NOW THAT COVID-19 has a foothold in so many countries, the threat of a pandemic has become very real. But it would be the first pandemic in history that could be controlled. The bottom line is: we are not at the mercy of this virus.
The great advantage we have is that the decisions we all make – as governments, businesses, communities, families and individuals – can influence the trajectory of this epidemic. We need to remember that with decisive, early action, we can slow down the virus and prevent infections. Among those who are infected, most will recover.
Of the 80,000 reported cases in China, more than 70 percent have recovered and been discharged. It’s also important to remember that looking only at the total number of reported cases and the total number of countries doesn’t tell the full story. Of all the cases reported globally so far, 93 percent are from just four countries.
Different countries are in different scenarios, requiring a tailored response. It’s not about containment or mitigation – which is a false dichotomy. It’s about both. All countries must take a comprehensive blended strategy for controlling their epidemics and pushing this deadly virus back.
For all countries, the aim is the same: stop transmission and prevent the spread of the virus.
For the first three categories, countries must focus on finding, testing, treating and isolating individual cases, and following their contacts.
In areas with community spread, testing every suspected case and tracing their contacts becomes more challenging. Action must be taken to prevent transmission at the community level to reduce the epidemic to manageable clusters.
We have shipped supplies of personal protective equipment to 57 countries, we’re preparing to ship to a further 28, and we’ve shipped lab supplies to 120 countries. We’re also working with our colleagues across the UN system to support countries to develop their preparedness and response plans. We are encouraged by these signs of global solidarity. And we continue to call on all countries to take early and aggressive action to protect their people and save lives.
For the moment, only a handful of countries have signs of sustained community transmission. Most countries still have sporadic cases or defined clusters. We must all take heart from that. As long as that’s the case, those countries have the opportunity to break the chains of transmission, prevent community transmission and reduce the burden on their health systems.
Of the four countries with the most cases, China is bringing its epidemic under control and there is now a decline in new cases being reported from the Republic of Korea. Both these countries demonstrate that it’s never too late to turn back the tide on this virus.
The rule of the game is: never give up. Let hope be the antidote to fear. Let solidarity be the antidote to blame. Let our shared humanity be the antidote to our shared threat.
