Covid-19 is no longer classified as a “global health emergency” by the World Health Organization (WHO). The decision was made by the WHO’s International Health Regulations Emergency Committee during its 15th meeting on Covid-19 on Thursday, May 4.
Speaking at a conference on Friday, May 5, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus agreed that the declaration of a public health emergency of international concern, or PHEIC, should be lifted.
“The pandemic has been declining for more than a year. This tendency has permitted most countries to resume life as it existed before to Covid-19,” Tedros stated. “The emergency committee met for the 15th time yesterday and recommended that I declare an end to the international public health emergency.” “I’ve taken your advice,” he said.
In January 2020, the organization designated the Coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, roughly six weeks before classifying it as a pandemic. The United States’ Covid-19 public health emergency is anticipated to conclude on May 11.
According to WHO figures, there have been over 765 million confirmed Covid-19 cases since the pandemic began. Almost 7 million people have been killed. Although Europe has had the most verified cases, the Americas have recorded the most deaths. In the United States, around one in every six deaths occurred.
The remark is a significant step toward ending the epidemic and comes three years after it initially proclaimed the virus to be at the highest level of alert.
The virus’s fatality rate had plummeted from more than 100,000 people per week in January 2021 to just over 3,500 on April 24, according to officials.
According to the WHO’s director-general, at least seven million people perished as a result of the pandemic.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, however, stated that the genuine total was “likely” closer to 20 million deaths – nearly three times the official estimate – and cautioned that the virus remained a serious concern.
“The Emergency Committee met for the 15th time yesterday and recommended that I declare an end to the international public health emergency.” That advice has been accepted. “It is with great hope that I declare COVID-19 a global health emergency,” stated Dr Tedros.
