CHO: ‘WHO declaration doesn’t end Covid-19 threat’

THE World Health Organization (WHO) pronouncement declaring an end to the global public health emergency of Covid-19 doesn’t eliminate the threat of the virus to the public, the City Health Office (CHO) said today.

“The public needs to understand that what ended is the pandemic—or the public health emergency of international concern (Covid-19) that has impacted heavily on countries around the world. But the virus is not gone and the threat that it poses on public health remains the same,” City Health Officer Dr. Rachel Dilla said during Monday’s Covid-19 response briefing.

Last Saturday’s WHO declaration stated that while the global public health emergency is over, the Covid-19 threat to public health remains but at a lower level of concern since the virus continues to evolve.

A CNN report said while Europe recorded the most number of cases, the US recorded the most number of deaths at one in every six cases.

The US is reportedly ending its public health emergency on May 11. When asked about the WHO pronouncement, Dr. Dilla reiterated that it shouldn’t convince others who remain unvaccinated not to get their shots.

“What’s better now is the improved vaccination coverage but for those who remain unvaccinated, Covid-19 poses a serious threat to them, and the risk of severe Covid-19 infection (is high),” she said.

In their latest Covid-19 data, the CHO said Cagayan de Oro City’s active Covid-19 cases remain at double digits with 73, though the city logged two new cases and five recoveries as of 10 pm on May 7.

With last week’s WHO declaration, CHO resident epidemiologist Dr. Teodulfo Retuya said the Department of Health (DOH) is expected to issue specific guidelines in response to this development.

“There will be a meeting by the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases to make their recommendations for the President’s approval. For our part we’ll continue with the strategies that helped reduce the incidence of Covid-19 infection in the city…the WHO declaration also praised the countries like the Philippines which despite limited resources, (improved in reducing cases),” Dr. Retuya said. (Stephen Capillas of City Information Office)