WHO: Covid-19 no longer represents a global health emergency

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared that Covid-19 no longer represents a global health emergency. WHO’s International Health Regulations Emergency Committee discussed the pandemic at its 15th meeting on Covid-19, and WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus concurred that the declaration of public health emergency of international concern should end. The statement is a major step towards ending the pandemic and comes three years after the global health agency first declared its highest level of alert over the virus.

The organization declared the coronavirus outbreak to be a public health emergency of international concern in



January 2020, about six weeks before characterizing it as a pandemic. During a press conference, WHO Chief said, for more than a year the pandemic has been on a downward trend. The virus' death rate had dropped from a peak of more than 1 lakh people per week in January 2021 to just over 3,500 on 24th of April. 

Dr. Tedros said, at least 7 million people died in the pandemic. He, however, said the true figure was likely closer to 20 million deaths - nearly 3 times the official estimate. He also warned that the virus is evolving and remains a global health threat, but at a lower level of concern.