This is not the time to relax restrictions, indeed efforts must be doubled and tripled. Warning from WHO Europe , which warns of positive signs in some countries. Contagions continue to increase, he explains, bringing the number of confirmed cases to 687,236 to this morning, with 52,824 deaths. The health organization also warns that 10,000 cases in Africa have exceeded 10,000 and there are over 500 deaths. And while the virus has been slow to arrive here compared to other parts of the world, the infection has grown exponentially and continues to spread. The virus, WHO explains, reached the African continent via return travelers from Asia, Europe and the United States. Covid's first case was recorded in Egypt on February 14 . Since then, a total of 52 African countries have reported cases. But if initially the infections were limited mainly in the main cities and large cities, "a significant number of countries in Africa are anger reporting cases - warns the WHO - in many provinces". The WHO therefore expresses "concern" about the impact of the pandemic on countries with "fragile health systems" and experiencing "complex emergencies". For this reason, the WHO warns, "the international community should extend technical and financial support to these countries, to improve response capacities and minimize the spread of the epidemic". Strong appeal from the World Health Organization: "Some countries in Africa do not have adequate supplies for intensive care units such as beds, respirators and trained personnel. It is critical that countries do everything they can because the epidemic does not step up further and that means a strong public health response from governments and every part of society. " The WHO therefore recalls its commitment in Africa to provide essential devices, train health workers and prepare direction plans with respect to the worrying "challenge" of local contexts. "We are also working - the organization underlines - to ensure an equitable distribution of essential materials and devices to countries with lower revenues, including African ones".
Ops: 'The next few weeks increase in deaths in Latin America' - The Pan-American Health Organization (OPS), WHO regional office for the Americas, has estimated that the number of deaths for Covid-19 will increase in the coming weeks in Latin America . According to regional media reports, Carissa Etienne, director of the Ops, said that the end of April and the beginning of May will be the key dates in the evolution of the emergency. “In just seven days we have seen how the cases and deaths have doubled in our region, which is why I urge governments to prepare and respond with the same speed. The situation will get worse before it gets better, and we must all be prepared that the coming weeks will be even more difficult, "said Etienne. According to the Ops, the evolution of the pandemic in the region will depend on the measures taken by each nation to stop the spread of the virus. "Of course, it all depends on how much the countries will respect social distancing, if they are willing to continue with these measures, if they will have enough health workers and enough hospital beds, especially in intensive care units, and if they will have enough respirators and personal protective equipment, "Etienne said during a video conference press conference. Etienne said he did not have a list of Latin American countries following the recommendations of the OPS and WHO, but expressed concern about the decisions of Nicaragua about Covid-19. "We are worried about the lack of social distancing, he calls mass meetings. We are concerned about the tests, the monitoring of the contacts, the way in which the cases are reported, "said the director of Ops