"Yesterday, the Emergency Committee met for the 15th time and recommended to me that I declare an end to the public health emergency of international concern. I have accepted that advice. It is therefore with great hope that I declare #COVID19 over as a global health emergency," the WHO head told a briefing.
The official emphasized that COVID-19 still poses a threat to the health of the human population.
At least 20 million people have died from COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, WHO head said.
"Almost 7 million deaths have been reported to WHO, but we know the toll is several times higher – at least 20 million," Ghebreyesus said.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the world to a standstill, with millions of people affected and countless lives lost. This highly infectious disease, caused by the novel coronavirus, has spread rapidly across the globe, affecting economies, healthcare systems, and daily life in unprecedented ways. In 2020 COVID-19 has been declared a pandemic by the WHO due to its rapid spread and severity.