He said the weekly death toll from Covid-19 is now about a fifth of what it was a year ago.
“Last week, less than 10,000 people lost their lives. It is still 10,000 more and all countries can do more to save lives,” he told a press conference.
“But we have come a long way. We hope that at some point next year we can say that Covid-19 is no longer a global health emergency,” he added.
“This virus is not going away. It is here to stay and all countries need to learn how to manage it along with other respiratory diseases,” he said.
“In 2023 we will still face many uncertainties and challenges. In low-income countries, only one in five have been vaccinated,” the UN chief continued.
Regarding monkey disease, Mr. Tedros pointed out that the global pandemic has taken the world by surprise.
More than 82,000 cases have been reported in 110 countries, but the fatality rate remains low, with 65 deaths.
“If the current trend continues, we hope to be able to declare the end of this health emergency next year as well,” he concluded.
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