WHO, the World Health Organization has cautioned against any relaxation of response actions following the recent slight decline in coronavirus cases in South-East Asian Region, stating the response only needs to be strengthened further to curtail virus transmission as the pandemic continues unabated. Regional Director WHO South-East Asia Region, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh said that there should be no complacency because of the declining numbers in recent weeks. The Region still reports large numbers of coronavirus cases. To curtail the pandemic, we need to continue to do our very best. She further said that the upcoming festival season and the cold/winter season approaches to exacerbate the condition if we let our guards down. Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh added that member countries have been making concerted efforts scaling up capacities for timely testing, detection, tracing contacts, isolating the affected and providing hospital care to those who need it.
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Festive season and COVID-19
- We must continue to take responsibility (this festive season) as individuals of the need to maintain hand hygiene, physical distance, cough etiquette and wear a mask where and when needed. People must remember the 3 Cs - avoid closed settings, avoid crowded places, and avoid enclosed and confined spaces with poor ventilation.
- The co-circulation of coronavirus and seasonal influenza in the winters may present challenges for health facilities and health systems since both diseases show many similar signs. Several of the same rules that are efficient in stopping coronavirus are also useful for including hand hygiene, physical distancing, covering ventilation, coughs, masks and preventing influenza.
6% to 8% decline in COVID-19 cases: WHO
- The World Health Organization is operating with countries to take a holistic approach to the prevention, preparedness, treatment and control of all respiratory diseases, including influenza and coronavirus. For the 3rd week in a row, the World Health Organization South-East Asia Region has registered 6 to 8 per cent decline in the number of coronavirus cases, mainly due to a decrease in reported cases from Bangladesh and India.
- Home to 1/4 of the worlds’ population, the Region has reported over eight million of the nearly forty million cases globally, mostly from the most populous countries which also face unique demographic and geographic challenges. The World Health Organization continues to support countries in their mitigation and containment efforts providing laboratory capacity strengthening for testing, technical guidance, protection of healthcare workers, equipment for hospitals and addressing misinformation and creating awareness.
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