New Coronavirus 10 Times Deadlier Than Swine Flu, Only Vaccine Can Fully End Transmission: WHO

[Anta Assamey]

Health workers take blood samples from security guards assigned to the Miraflores district, as they are tested for the new coronavirus in Lima, Peru, on April 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

The international body further said that it is imperative that a vaccine is developed to fully halt the transmission of the coronavirus.

• AFP
• LAST UPDATED: APRIL 13, 2020, 10:52 PM IST

SHARE THIS: 

The novel coronavirus is 10 times more deadly than swine flu, which caused a global pandemic in 2009, the World Health Organization said Monday, stressing a vaccine would be necessary to fully halt transmission.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual briefing from Geneva that the organisation was constantly learning about the new virus sweeping the globe, which has now killed nearly 115,000 people and infected over 1.8 million.

"We know that Covid-19 spreads fast, and we know that it is deadly, 10 times deadlier than the 2009 flu pandemic," he said.

WHO says 18,500 people died of "swine flu", or H1N1, which was first uncovered in Mexico and the United States in March 2009, but the Lancet medical estimated the toll to be between 151,700 and 575,400.

The Lancet review included estimated deaths in Africa and Southeast Asia that were not accounted for by the WHO. 

The outbreak, which was declared a pandemic in June 2009 and considered over by August 2010, turned out to be not as deadly as first feared.

Vaccines were rushed out, but in hindsight, the West, particularly Europe, and the WHO were criticised for overreacting at a time when annual influenza epidemics every year killed between 250,000 and 500,000 people, according to WHO.

Tedros lamented Monday that some countries are seeing a doubling of cases every three to four days, but stressed that if countries were committed to "early case-finding, testing, isolating (and) caring for every case and tracing every contact" they could rein in the virus.

More than half of the planet's population is currently staying home as part of efforts to stem the spread of the virus, but Tedros warned that "our global connectedness means the risk of re-introduction and resurgence of the disease will continue".

He pointed out that while Covid-19 had accelerated quickly, "it decelerates much more slowly."

"In other words, the way down is much slower than the way up," he said, stressing that "control measures must be lifted slowly, and with control. It cannot happen all at once."

"Control measures can only be lifted if the right public health measures are in place, including significant capacity for contact tracing," he said.

Regardless of the efforts put in place, the WHO acknowledged that "ultimately, the development and delivery of a safe and effective vaccine will be needed to fully interrupt transmission".

A vaccine is thought to be at least 12 to 18 months away.

[Vaampire]

Jan 14th evadi m cheeki wrong info icharu.

[quickgun_murugun]

10 minutes ago, Vaampire said:

Jan 14th evadi m cheeki wrong info icharu.

Galeez gallu... appudemo no H-H transmissions and it’s normal flu pithithey aa vediki pothadi annaru... ippudemo SwineFlu kanna dangerous antunnaru .. galeez lamdeekes

[r2d2]

How does it matter what they said earlier? Do we actually need WHO to say that this virus is dangerous???? the focus should be on how best we can prevent it...

[quickgun_murugun]

1 minute ago, r2d2 said:

How does it matter what they said earlier? Do we actually need WHO to say that this virus is dangerous???? the focus should be on how best we can prevent it...

Vaccine ochedaka ee lolli untadi kaka

[Vaampire]

5 minutes ago, quickgun_murugun said:

Galeez gallu... appudemo no H-H transmissions and it’s normal flu pithithey aa vediki pothadi annaru... ippudemo SwineFlu kanna dangerous antunnaru .. galeez lamdeekes

Who org ni motham lepi thengali. Thaiwan dec nunchi mothukuntuney undi ee virus gurunchi.

feb lo konni countries chinku travelers meedha restrictions pedithey kooda ee mundddamopi org object chesindi.

trump did a good thing stopping all the funds to who

[Vaampire]

3 minutes ago, r2d2 said:

How does it matter what they said earlier? Do we actually need WHO to say that this virus is dangerous???? the focus should be on how best we can prevent it...

Lol. Mari who enduku inka?

taiwan dec nunchi mothukundi.. jan 14th human to human transmit kaadu ani chepparu. Feb ending chinku travelers meedha restrictions pedithey object chesaru.intha chinna daaniki restrictions enduku ani.

virus dangerous ano cheppakapoyina parledhu.. kaani downplay chesi thappu daari pattincharu

[desibull]

1 minute ago, Vaampire said:

Who org ni motham lepi thengali. Thaiwan dec nunchi mothukuntuney undi ee virus gurunchi.

feb lo konni countries chinku travelers meedha restrictions pedithey kooda ee mundddamopi org object chesindi.

trump did a good thing stopping all the funds to who

They should name this organisation as chinki WHO're

[ARYA]

WHO idoka lowdalo chinese org ani proved...Thata should close this down and stop funding to this chinese org ani reps antunde

[Pichekkistha]

Roju okati cheppi thengichukondi... Aa thapelmokam gaadu waste..

[JaiTDP]

42 minutes ago, quickgun_murugun said:

Galeez gallu... appudemo no H-H transmissions and it’s normal flu pithithey aa vediki pothadi annaru... ippudemo SwineFlu kanna dangerous antunnaru .. galeez lamdeekes

[quickgun_murugun]

37 minutes ago, Vaampire said:

Who org ni motham lepi thengali. Thaiwan dec nunchi mothukuntuney undi ee virus gurunchi.

feb lo konni countries chinku travelers meedha restrictions pedithey kooda ee mundddamopi org object chesindi.

trump did a good thing stopping all the funds to who

Chinese centric a$$holes 

[quickgun_murugun]

1 minute ago, JaiTDP said:

 true kaka they tolded 

[TrollBait]

1 hour ago, r2d2 said:

How does it matter what they said earlier? Do we actually need WHO to say that this virus is dangerous???? the focus should be on how best we can prevent it...

WHO gave wrong info earlier. so credibility is lost. same thing that applies to the dumbfcuk Trump applies to everyone no?

[TrollBait]

59 minutes ago, ARYA said:

WHO idoka lowdalo chinese org ani proved...Thata should close this down and stop funding to this chinese org ani reps antunde

WHO is lavda, Trump thatha is lavda, anyone who still trusts their govt is lavda, who loves a country is a lavda.

only smart people are those that can adapt, and if possible protect their families too. every1 else exposed as a lavda.

especially India/Modi lovers, and dicksuckers of WHO/UN experts.