translated from Spanish: WHO warns of rapid progress of pandemic and urges countries to increase health equipment production

The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has warned of the high growth of the coronavirus pandemic worldwide, and has demanded that countries increase the production of health equipment. As you mentioned at the daily press conference, it took up to 67 days from the first case of coronavirus to be diagnosed until 1,000 people were diagnosed; 11 days until 2,000 infected people were detected; and only four days to diagnose the 300,000 affected.” Numbers are important because they are people whose lives, and that of their families, have been totally shattered, but most important of all is what we do. You can’t win a football match just by defending yourself, but you have to attack too,” said Tedros. one of the most effective ways to curb the spread of the virus. In addition, Tedros has stressed the importance of tackling the new coronavirus with “aggressive and specific” initiatives, including the conduct of the test for any person suspected of suffering, asaring and treating confirmed cases and putting in quarantine to people who have had close contact with an infected person. That said, the WHO Director-General has recognized the work done by different countries to mobilize resources for regions “badly affected” by the coronavirus pandemic and who have also sent medical emergency teams to care for protect healthcare professionals. Precisely on the latter, Tedros has warned that they can only do their work in an “effective” way when they are sure to carry out their assistance practice, so he regretted the publication of “alarming reports” showing that many are becoming infected in several countries around the world while caring for coronavirus patients.” Even if we do everything else correctly, if we do not prioritize the protection of health workers, many people will die because the health care that could have saved their lives is sick,” he said, to warn that the measures put in place to reducing the spread of the virus can have “unintended” consequences if there is a shortage of personal protective equipment and materials essential to manufacture them. IMPORTANCE OF HAVING SOLID DATA ON NEW TREATMENTS This has called on world leaders to join forces to increase the production of sanitary equipment, avoid export bans and ensure fair distribution according to the needs. Regarding treatments, Tedros has highlighted the level of research efforts being made to achieve Covid-19 therapy, although it recalled that using a drug without having correct scientific evidence could lead to “false hopes” and do “more harm than good.” It therefore recalled that WHO has launched the ‘Solidarity’ trial to generate ‘strong and high-quality evidence’ as quickly as possible, and has encouraged all countries to join it in order to speed up the results of new medicines and , thus, save lives. Finally, on Tuesday’s World TB Day, the DIRECTOR-General of WHO has assured that it is an opportunity to remind world leaders of the efforts they have committed to end the deaths caused by this “old and terrible disease.” The world is responding correctly to Covid-19 with urgency and purpose. We call on the global community to take advantage of that same urgency and purpose to combat TB, and for a healthier, safer and fairer world for all,” said Tedros. thankful to FIFA that it has contributed more than nine million euros ($10 million) to the Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund, recalling that less than six months ago they signed an agreement to promote health through sport. In fact, the press conference has been present the President of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, who has expressed his condolences to all the families affected by the coronavirus, grateful for the work that health professionals are doing and highlighted the the importance of football, a sport that means “a lot” to millions of people, show solidarity with those affected by Covid-19.

Original source in Spanish