World

WHO: COVID cases, deaths rising at worrying rates

(FILES) In this file photo taken on March 11, 2020 World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus attends a daily press briefing on COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, at the WHO heardquaters in Geneva. - Congressional Republicans on April 16, 2020 urged President Donald Trump to condition US funding for the World Health Organization on the resignation of its chief over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Seventeen Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs Committee said they had "lost faith" in Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus's WHO leadership, even as they stressed the organization is vital to tackling the world's health problems. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)

The number of new weekly COVID-19 cases and deaths around the world has nearly doubled over the past two months, nearing the highest rate of infection since the start of the pandemic, said Director-General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysus during a live media briefing on Friday.

Dr. Tedros stated that the WHO continued to assess the progression of the pandemic regularly at the global level and under the International Health Regulations. He added that he looks forward to new advice agreed on during the Emergency Committee’s 7th meeting held on Thursday. “World, our message to all people in all countries remains the same: we all have a role to play in ending the pandemic,” he concluded.