(COVID-19) WHO warns countries with decreasing numbers of infections to remain “vigilant”

Countries where the number of cases of novel coronavirus infection is decreasing must remain “vigilant”, a World Health Organization (WHO) official warned Friday.

“Even though the number of cases is decreasing, all countries must remain vigilant. You have heard this before, but we really need to stress it again. Don’t let your guard down,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, technical director of the program. WHO health emergency, during a virtual briefing.

“It’s nice to see the measurements take effect and the transmission decreases. But now is not the time to let our guard down. It is also the time to amplify it,” he added.

Cases of infection worldwide have exceeded 61 million, with the death toll of 1.4 million, according to the latest figures from Johns Hopkins University.

“What we don’t want to see are the situations where we go from a state of so-called confinement to control the virus to a state of so-called confinement,” said Van Kerkhove.