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https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing---10-december-2024>
"This year has been another challenging one for our world, and for the health
of its people.
But there has also been much good news, and that’s where I would like to begin.
This year, 9 countries were certified for the elimination of diseases:
Cabo Verde and Egypt became malaria-free; Brazil and Timor Leste eliminated
lymphatic filariasis; India, Pakistan and Viet Nam eliminated trachoma; Jordan
eliminated leprosy and Chad eliminated human African trypanosomiasis.
More than 12 million doses of malaria vaccines have been delivered in 17
countries in Africa using the new malaria vaccines we have;
Tobacco use continues to decline in 150 countries;
WHO prequalified a new vaccine against dengue;
We gave Emergency Use Listing to the first mpox vaccines and tests, and
established a mechanism for equitable allocation of these products."
[...]
"The end of this month, the 31st of December, will mark the fifth anniversary
of the first reports to WHO of pneumonia caused by a then-unknown pathogen.
In the past five years, more than 7 million deaths from COVID-19 have been
reported to WHO, but we estimate the true death toll to be at least three times
higher.
We cannot talk about COVID in the past tense. It’s still with us, it still
causes acute disease and “long COVID”, and it still kills.
On average this year, about 1000 deaths from COVID-19 have been reported to WHO
each week – and that’s just from the few countries that are still reporting.
The world might want to forget about COVID-19, but we cannot afford to.
WHO continues to support countries to prevent and manage COVID-19 alongside
other health threats.
Today, WHO is releasing a package of policy briefs to help countries update
their policies to monitor and reduce circulation of COVID-19, and to reduce
illness, death and long-term consequences of the disease."
Via Violet Blue’s
Pandemic Roundup: December 19, 2024
https://www.patreon.com/posts/pandemic-roundup-118259316
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
