Wuhan's example is "hope" for the world, WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday. Since Thursday, the epicenter of the coronavirus epidemic in China has recorded no new cases of local origin, for the first time since the emergence of the epidemic.
"Wuhan gives hope to the rest of the world by showing that even the most serious situation is reversible," said the Director-General of WHO.
In total, the pandemic has claimed more than 11,000 lives worldwide since its onset in December. More than 250,000 cases of infection have been detected worldwide. Italy pays the heaviest price and is now ahead of China (80,976 cases, including 3,248 dead), with 47,021 cases and 4,032 deaths.
Young people are "not invincible"
“Obviously, we have to be careful. The situation may reverse again. But the experience of cities and countries that have rolled back the coronavirus gives hope and courage to the rest of the world, ”added Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
If the Covid-19 disease is particularly dangerous for the elderly or already suffering from serious pathologies, the head of the WHO warned the young people that they were "not invincible". He called on them to limit their social life to preserve the most vulnerable. "This virus can drive you to the hospital for weeks - and even kill you," he said.
"Even if you don't get sick, the choices you make on the go can be a matter of life and death for someone else," he added.
A Whatsapp number for information
WHO has also indicated that it now favors the expression "physical distance" to that of "social distance" to better describe the need to maintain a space between people to contain the spread of the virus.
According to the organization, this semantic change is intended to highlight the fact that physical confinement does not mean social isolation, recalling the importance of maintaining good mental health during the crisis.
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Coronavirus: healed from Covid 19, they tell
"We can stay connected in many ways without being physically in the same space," said Maria Van Kerkhove, one of the WHO response leaders to Covid-19.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also said that in order to make up for the shortage of protective equipment for healthcare workers (masks, gloves), the WHO had identified "producers in China who have agreed to supply them".
Finally, WHO has opened a number on WhatsApp messaging to guarantee "reliable information" on the pandemic. Just send “hi” to +41 798 931 892. The service will be available in English, then in other languages next week.