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The coronavirus is 10 times destructive than the 2009 swine flu pandemic, according to the World Health Organization.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO chief told in a virtual briefing that focusing on an immunization would be important to completely end transmission.
“We know that COVID-19 spreads fast, and we know that it is deadly, 10 times deadlier than the 2009 flu pandemic,” he said.
Swine flu first discovered in Mexico and the United States in March 2009 took more than 18,500 lives but the Lancet medical estimated the toll to be between 151,700 and 575,400.
According to the Lancet review, WHO didn’t estimate the deaths in Africa and Southeast Asia and, therefore, they were not represented by the organization. The outbreak, which was pronounced a pandemic in June 2009 and considered over by August 2010, ended up being not as dangerous as first dreaded.
Half of the world’s population is isolating in homes in an effort to stem the spread of the infection, yet Tedros cautioned that “our global connectedness means the risk of re-introduction and resurgence of the disease will continue,”
He further said that at the end of the day, the path down is much slower than the route, in other words, COVID-19 had quickened rapidly, it will decrease much slowly.
“Control measures can only be lifted if the right public health measures are in place, including the significant capacity for contact tracing,” he said.
Despite the endeavors set up, the WHO recognized that “ultimately, the development and delivery of a safe and effective vaccine will be needed to fully interrupt transmission.”
A vaccine is believed to be at least 1 to year and a half away.
