After over three years, COVID-19 is now a health issue that no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). This is according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
“With great hope, I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency,” Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated. He and WHO’s International Health Regulations Emergency Committee reportedly concurred on this during its 15th meeting on COVID-19. “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,” the general director added.
At the latest media briefing, the organization also estimated that the pandemic had killed “at least 20 million” people. Nevertheless, “For more than a year, the pandemic has been on a downward trend,” Dr. Tedros announced. “This trend has allowed most countries to return to life as we knew it before COVID-19.”
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The coronavirus outbreak was declared a public health emergency of international concern by WHO in January 2020, about six weeks before declaring it a pandemic.
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