In an attempt to give hope to people, the World Health Organization on Friday said that it is still possible to bring coronavirus outbreaks under control, even though the number of cases have more than doubled in the past six weeks.
Giving examples of countries like Italy, Spain, South Korea and Asia¡¯s largest slum, Dharavi, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that no matter how bad the outbreak, the virus could still be controlled through aggressive action.
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Once a COVID-19 hotspot, Dharavi reported a single-digit rise in COVID-19 cases this week for three consecutive days. On Friday, 12 new coronavirus cases were reported there even as total number of cases continue to rise in Dharavi.?
Talking about the successful control of the coronavirus to a virtual press conference in Geneva, Tedros said, "Some of these examples are Italy, Spain and South Korea, and even in Dharavi -- a densely packed area in the megacity of Mumbai -- a strong focus on community engagement and the basics of testing, tracing, isolating and treating all those that are sick is key to breaking the chains of transmission and suppressing the virus."
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The WHO director general also said, "Only aggressive action combined with national unity and global solidarity can turn the COVID19 pandemic around."
Tedros¡¯ statement came the same day as Mike Ryan, head of the World Health Organization's emergencies programme, said that it was unlikely that the new coronavirus would be eliminated.
However, a decrease in coronavirus cases in Dharavi slum in India can indeed tells us there's hope still.
Also Read:?COVID-19 Tally In Mumbai Cross 50,000, But Infection Rate In Worli, Dharavi Are On The Decline