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21:33 GMT
GENEVA, Oct 26 (KUNA) -- Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Dr. Tedros A. Ghebreyesus said that the last week saw the highest number of COVID-19 cases reported so far.
"Many countries in the northern hemisphere are seeing a concerning rise in cases and hospitalisations," he said Monday at a media briefing on the pandemic.
"The intensive care units are filling up to capacity in some places, particularly in Europe and North America," he regretted.
"We must do all we can to protect health workers, and the best way to do that is for all of us to take every precaution we can to reduce the risk of transmission, for ourselves and others. No one wants more so-called lockdowns.
"But if we want to avoid them, we all have to play our part. The fight back against this pandemic is everyone's business," he stressed.
"We cannot have the economic recovery we want and live our lives the way we did before the pandemic.
"We can keep our kids in school, we can keep businesses open, we can preserve lives and livelihoods. We can do it! But we must all make trade-offs, compromises and sacrifices," Dr. Ghebreyesus went on.
"When leaders act quickly and deliberately, the virus can be suppressed. But, where there has been political division at the national level; where there has been blatant disrespect for science and health professionals, confusion has spread and cases and deaths have mounted.
"This is why I have said repeatedly: stop the politicisation of COVID-19
"We understand the pandemic fatigue that people are feeling. It takes a mental and physical toll on everyone.
"Working from home, children being schooled remotely, not being able to celebrate milestones with friends and family or not being there to mourn loved ones - it's tough and the fatigue is real.
"But we cannot give up. We must not give up. Leaders must balance the disruption to lives and livelihoods with the need to protect health workers and health systems as intensive care fills up," he added. (end)
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