“WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that respiratory illnesses caused by Covid-19, influenza and other pathogens have increased in many countries in recent weeks and are expected to continue after the recent holidays,” Ghebreyesus wrote in his personal account on the social network X (formerly Twitter).
In such a situation, the head of the UN health agency urged the public to “get tested and seek medical attention if necessary, as treatments for COVID-19 can prevent serious illness and death.”
“Continue to wear masks, ventilate and practice social distancing to reduce exposure, and make sure you and your loved ones are up to date on your Covid-19 and flu vaccines.”
Ghebreyesu called on governments to provide access to reliable tests, treatments and vaccines, especially for those most at risk of serious infections.
In this sense, he pointed out that authorities must maintain surveillance, sequencing and reporting to track the evolution of the virus that causes Covid-19 and provide clear messages about the possibilities of contagion as well as measures to reduce the risk to their population.
He also recalled the need to follow the standing recommendations to combat Covid-19 issued by the WHO in 2023 to address the global threats of the disease.
lam/crc