GENEVA (AN) — The coronavirus pandemic is by far the worst global public health emergency declared under a 13-year-old international law for deadly disease outbreaks, World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday.
"This is the sixth time a global health emergency has been declared under the International Health Regulations, but it is easily the most severe," the United Nations health agency chief told a press briefing. "Almost 16 million cases have now been reported to WHO, and more than 640,000 deaths. And the pandemic continues to accelerate. In the past 6 weeks, the total number of cases has roughly doubled."