Coronavirus: worldwide cases top 9 million as WHO warns pandemic is accelerating
- Outbreak peaking in number of big countries at same time, reflecting change in global activity of virus
- UN health body calls for ramped up production of life-saving drug dexamethasone
Global coronavirus infections topped 9 million on Monday as the World Health Organisation warned that the pandemic was accelerating.
Record levels of new daily Covid-19 cases are due to the fact that the outbreak is peaking in a number of big countries at the same time and reflect a change in the virus’ global activity, the WHO added.
At a media briefing on Monday, WHO’s emergencies chief Dr. Michael Ryan said that “the numbers are increasing because the epidemic is developing in a number of populous countries at the same time.”
Some countries have attributed their increased caseload to more testing, including India and the US. But Ryan dismissed that explanation.
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“We do not believe this is a testing phenomenon,” he said, noting that numerous countries have also noted marked increases in hospital admissions and deaths – neither of which cannot be explained by increased testing.