Translation COVID-19 July 14: WHO Director-General warns 'too many countries go in the wrong direction'

The World Health Organization warns that the crisis caused by COVID-19 could be 'worse' if countries fail to adhere to strict health precautions. In just 5 days, the number of new infections globally increased to 1 million.

Graphics: NGOC THANH

The global number of new infections increased by 1 million in just 5 days

Globally, more than 13.2 million infections have been recorded, more than 7.6 million recovered, and more than 574,700 COVID-19 deaths were reported, according to the Worldometers update at 6 am July 14.

After the first cases of COVID-19 were recorded in China at the end of 2019, it took three months for the number of cases worldwide to reach 1 million, Reuters reported. However, in recent days, it only took 5 days for the global number of cases to increase from 12 million to 13 million.

The World Health Organization (WHO) also pointed out that among 230,000 new infections recorded on July 12, 80% of the cases came from 10 countries. More seriously, 50% of infections come from just two countries. Currently the US and Brazil are the two countries with the second highest number of infections in the world.

A tourist wears a mask while viewing photos at an exhibition at the Barbican Art Center on the center's first reopening day following the relaxation of restrictions in London on July 13 - Photo: REUTERS

WHO warns many countries are going in the wrong direction

With new infections spreading like wildfires, many countries earlier this week are re-imposing restrictions on towns and cities to prevent the spread of the epidemic.

However, the World Health Organization (WHO) general director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on July 13 warned that too many countries were "going in the wrong direction" in the fight against this "common enemy", with many spreading contradictory messages that lead to a destruction of trust. However, Mr. Tedros did not specify which country.

"There will be no return to 'old normal' in the near future," he said. The WHO Director-General warned that if governments do not adopt a comprehensive strategy and countries do not adhere to strict medical precautions, the situation will become "worse, worse and worse" .

Graphics: NGOC THANH

The state of California closed restaurants, bars, and cinemas

On July 13, the governor of California (the most populous state in the United States), Mr. Gavin Newsom announced a plan to stop reopening to prevent the spread of COVID-19 when new infections in the state. this western United States is on the rise.

Governor Newsom, a member of the Democratic Party, has ordered bars to close all operations, and restaurants, movie theaters, zoos and museums across the state must stop activities indoors. Churches, gyms, and hair salons must also close in the 30 most affected counties, he said.

The decision comes in the context of an increasing number of cases that put pressure on hospitals in some counties, and a sharp epidemic in Los Angeles and other parts of the San Francisco Bay Area. Meanwhile, California's two largest school districts - Los Angeles and San Diego - announced that they will only study online in the fall.

In March, California was the first state in the United States to issue a warrant for people to stay indoors across the state to fight the epidemic. This action has caused great damage to the state economy. By May, Mr. Newsom had quickly let most businesses reopen.

The UN predicts that global hunger is aggravated by COVID-19

In a new report released on July 13, the United Nations (UN) warned that the COVID-19 pandemic could cause an additional 132 million people to face starvation by the end of this year. The UN urges governments to adopt a set of policy tools to help people access quality food.

Last year, two billion people faced food insecurity, with about 746 million people facing severe food insecurity. With the numbers growing rapidly, the UN warns that achieving the global hunger eradication goal by 2030 is facing serious challenges.

Source: www.tuoitre.vn

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