The World Health Organisation has declared that COVID-19 is no longer a global health emergency, a major milestone in the fight against the pandemic.
This announcement, however, does not mean that the disease has ceased to be a threat.
The Emergency Committee of the WHO made the recommendation to declare the end of the public health emergency of international concern, which has been in place for more than three years since it first emerged in Wuhan, China.
This decision marks a significant step towards ending the pandemic that has affected global economies and communities worldwide, killing more than 6.9 million people.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that COVID-19 is here to stay, despite the emergency declaration being lifted.
Although the emergency declaration has ended, it does not change the fact that the virus is still prevalent and remains a health threat globally.
The reduction in the death rate is a testament to the progress made in vaccination and treatment options, with weekly death rates dropping from a peak of more than 100,000 people in January 2021 to just over 3,500 in the week of April 24, 2023, according to WHO data.
Quadri Adejumo covers World News, Health, Climate & Humanitarian.
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