WHO raises alarm of fresh ‘total lockdown’ across the world over coronavirus

The World Health Organization (WHO) may be threatening fresh ‘total lockdown’ in many countries of the world over anticipated resurgence in coronavirus infection. The global health watchdog cautioned that it could be possible for countries to return full lockdowns since coronavirus infection cases surge in certain parts of the world.

WHO’s Health Emergencies Program Executive Director, Dr. Michael Ryan, at the weekend warned that some countries may be returning to full lockdowns as “the only option” if such countries ignore to check “small embers,” or early signs of renewed outbreaks.

The Director-General of WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, noted that entities that encountered turbulent coronavirus crisis have been considering ending the lockdowns and reopening their economies. The WHO DG identified such entities to include Italy and New York City. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus raised the alarm that global data on the coronavirus pandemic last week showed “the virus is not under control; it is getting worse.”

WHO insisted that renewed global lockdowns are likely to occur, noting that some parts of the world are recording further surge as countries slowed down on quarantine and other preventive protocols.

However, WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, was said to have informed state parties a day earlier that “the virus can be brought under control;” later contradicting himself that the surges show that the virus is not under control but getting worse. He had indicated the figures of new coronavirus cases in most countries of the world, not only increased but had doubled in the past six weeks.

Thus, Dr. Ryan had at a press briefing at the weekend declared that “there may be situations” in the near future of the novel coronavirus pandemic in which countries going back under full lockdowns “is the only option.”

Ryan had added: “in our current situation it is very unlikely that we can eradicate or eliminate this virus,” citing recent numbers of new cases as example likely beginning of future massive outbreaks.

“There are very particular environments in which that can occur, island states and other places, but even they risk re-importation.

“A more worrying pattern is large clusters of cases that could occur in association with super spreading events, events in which large crowds gather,” Ryan declared.

He admonished that each country should aim to quash “small embers,” or early signs of resurging outbreaks, before the virus comes back in a metaphorical forest fire.